What a season, so many injuries, so many ups and downs, so many different players contributing, could there be a silver lining to it all? I believe the answer is yes. This team has faced so much adversity and has proven that it can still win ball games. Things I like about this season. 1. Yao stepped up to be the true leader - this has to happen for the team to take it to the next level a player as dedicated and as demanding as Yao, needs to be the leader for the team to excel. 2. Tmac learned that "It is not on him" but rather on the whole team. 3. The Rockets roster has become much more diversified, with Scola, and Landry, and Brooks, and Bjax, and Harris, and Novak etc...etc...etc... 4. Luis Scola : The single biggest reason for the turnaround, the guy plays his heart out, every single second on the floor and he has skills too, great pickup by Morey 5. Rick Adelman is not afraid to experiment with different combinations and matchups, making the Rockets a much more difficult team to game plan against. 6. Chemistry - Great chemistry in and out of the locker room makes for an entertaining team to root for. 7. Trust - the Team trusts each other and you get the feeling that they genuinly do not care who takes the last shot as long as it goes in.... So, when Yao comes back healthy next year, and Francis comes back possibly with a repaired knee, and one or two key offseaon acquisitions I think we will be ready..... This team is just one more off season away from winning it all....they might have done it this year but with Yao out that is unlikely.....so, I am going to enjoy the playoffs win or lose, and keep the eye on the prize... The 2008-9...NBA Championship. DD
Quitters. Let round one start first please! Save us your crap until the season is done... that is the cowardly, easy way out... to quit before it's over! One star for you.
Thanks!! I grow ill of the fickle we see some of the "vets" reveal come playoff time. It's disgusting. I'm sure the Lakers and Celtics have room on their band wagons.
I know most on here are predicting a quick exit from the playoffs but I didn't expect it to be so fast that I missed the entire thing.....
I like the post DD. I am right there with you. While I would love for the Rockets to get hot and tear through the playoffs, I am happy with this season even if they dont. But next season, the Rockets will be stacked for a Championship run for sure. Just need to add maybe 1 or 2 pieces, get healthy, and keep the team intact.
The single most elusive quality in team sports is chemistry. The Sura-Rox team had it. This 'sharing' team has it. The Sura team redux just wasn't. Who really knows what next season might bring to this squad? If there are any additions or changes for '08-'09 I hope it is with more International-esque players coming in. Fernandez = Scola II? If only. JCN with an NBA year behind him? If only.
rick adelman's been my silver lining all year. this team won 54 games in rick's first year with a team missing one of its best players half the time and 3 rookies logging significant minutes. all of rick's players say it takes more than a year to really grasp the system. imagine how good we'll be when yao's back, the current players have a year under their belt, and our rookies becomes 1 year veterans.
With Yao and Tmac healthy and this current team we are WC finals good. If we can add a shooter/scorer like Mike Miller to this roster we are championship good. That is if we lived in an ideal world where the Houston Rockets are not the only freakin team year after year to have an injured major star.
We can win the 1st round.....it's not impossible.......don't forget we're the underdawg......regardless of who has HCA, the other team will be expected to close out quickly in 4-5 games........so we win one game we're not supposed to and the pressure and media hoopla will be on the other team just like Mavpricks '07, Sonics '94, etc....
I agree. Whats really good is that we are not even running the offense correctly. I used to watch the kings alot because I hate the lakers. This offense doesnt fun any of the back cuts and motion like they did. If we add a few more pieces and really work this offseason on this offense, we could be scary good.
Please understand I am not giving up and will be right there cheering this team on throughtout their playoff run. Come hell or high water, I will be there, but the reality is that we are going to have a difficult time without Yao. I am just going to enjoy the ride, and be happy that so much progress was made in Rick Adelman's first year. THREE (4 with Harris).....new rotational players, that is huge..... DD
i agree. one small correction - yao misses 27 regular season games this year iirc. that's about a third of 82 games not literally "half". i know... it feels more and looong...
