A silver lining to this season?

I'm not sure this is the time to "reflect," since we're not at the end ... and like you, I'm looking forward to the playoffs, knowing they have played beyond themselves this season, and happy with whatever they do. And, I think your point is that we can already determine this season a success, irregardless of what they do in the next few weeks.

I have to agree, even if we lose in the first round, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. Most had set the mark as getting out of the first round, or determine the Yao/TMac experiment has failed, and time to find additional pieces that would work best around Yao, like a Deng/Hinrich trade, while TMac still has value. Then let younger players take a couple years to learn Adelman's system and become contenders again, but for a longer stretch.

I'm not sure we know that yet. Most of us believe we would actually be contenders right now if we had Yao, and with Landry, Scola, Brooks and Harris with another year's experience, and the whole team learning Adelman's system, believe we'd have an even better chance next year.

We will all prognosticate a lot this off-season, I'm sure, maybe as much as ever, and perhaps if things don't go so well the first half of the season, that determination and trade will be made.

But, now is not the time for all that debate.

Let's see what they'll do in the playoffs! Dang, we don't even know who we're playing yet before the last game of the season. This has been an exciting ending to the season, hasn't it?

The streak, the chemistry, Adelman showing he's got it, the rookies, the whole team playing like Battier, the emphasis on "team," the heart ... yeah, I'm proud of them this year.

(now if only someone can help minimize injuries)

 

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Yeah, after the streak, and being in the race for #! up to the last few games in the season, we just have NO IDEA what they are going to do.

I just want them to focus on "team," like on the streak, and see how far that will take them.

Who knows with this team? And, that will make the playoffs a lot of fun ...

 

Thanks DD and Sherlock. I was thinking last night that I should start a thread discussing these very facts, but you two said it all first.

I an unapologetic Rocket optimist, and it baffles (but doesn't surprise) me how everyone piles on the Rockets with a few losses. TMac is a failure, we can't ever win a playoff series, the team has no heart, etc.

This has been the biggest season for hope this franchise has seen since Hakeem was lacing them up. This team was playing lights out during the streak, particularly before Yao got hurt. They seem like they started running Rick's offense, and the defense was stifling. It's all a matter of health. If this team is healthy with Yao and TMac not seriously limping around, they are solid contenders for the #1 seed in the west and for the championship next season.

Just some highlights:

It took some time to learn Rick's system. The defense has been there, but the offense looked brutal during large chunks of the season. Yet there has been great improvement. I think the addition of Bobby Jackson was great for improving the team's collective knowledge about what Rick wants to do. It's still not the Sacramento Kings, but I am encouraged when I see players making back door cuts, moving without the ball, and running the best pick and rolls the Rockets have seen since Kenny and OT. I am still surprised the defense didn't tank this season. If anything, I think they play better defense. They have a great defensive mindset, but Rick seems comfortable mixing things up and adapting the defense, instead of the very rigid "we will defend every opponent MY way" Van Gundy approach.

Yao took his game over the top and showed he could lead this team. When the team bogged down, Yao looked very capable of dominating down low. The presence of finishing power forwards and an offense that could capitalize on double-teams has only made him more effective.

I know there's a lot of McGrady hate on this board, but I don't understand it. He didn't look comfortable in Rick's new system in the first half of the season. We played well when he was hurt and the majority of this board wanted to trade him. When he came back, he played within Rick's system and this team caught fire. Even without Yao, he's still created a ton of shots for his teammates, and the offense looks much better than what Jeff had in place. He's doing all of this hurt too.

Next year with Yao back, the Rockets can shoot out of the gate with their 2 superstars and role players comfortable running this offense. This is going to be a very scary team.

Besides, the coach and superstars, we've also had tremendous progress at other positions.

I think we have all been concerned about power forward for a very, very long time. I love Chuck and his hustle, but I was worried about playoff battles with Chuck getting big minutes. Scola has been gold. I love that we have a crafty, wily power forward who can get rebounds and find a way to score garbage points. Carl Landry has been a gift from the Basketball Gods. He needs some rest to get his knee tip-top, but when he comes back, the Rockets are stacked at power forward. We still even have Chuck who can play spot minutes as needed. Gotta go back to Barkley, Willis, and Othella since we've been this set at this position.

We started the season with Mike James, Stevie, Rafer, and Brooks at point. We scrapped the first two and picked up Bobby Jackson. Rafer has been steady, but he'll never be more than an inconsistent jump-shooter with a streaky teardrop. Brooks gives me hope. I love the speed, and I think his 3-point shot will get better. Rookie point guards are error-prone, and Brooks has certainly not been immune to that. Yet I think the playing time this year and in the playoffs will be good for him. Brooks will be a year older and hopefully a year wiser when next season starts. I am a huge fan of Bobby Jackson, and he can play some meaningful minutes.

I hope this is the year that Shane finally quieted the Rudy Gay debate. Shane is the perfect fit for our team's defensive psyche. He locks down the toughest wing player every night and boosts the overall defensive intensity. I am ready to go to war next season with Shane.

We still certainly have holes in our lineup. A good back center, an upgrade on Rafer, and a better backup for TMac are high on my list. I'm optimistic on this because we surely cannot doubt Morey at this point. I don't know who we'll draft, but I won't throw my hands up in frustration if ESPN says it's a bad pick. Let's see what Morey can find in the draft, free agency, and trades. I think he has earned the benefit of our trust.

The most important factor for me is the team's attitude. I love the camraderie they have developed. They seem to genuinely like playing with one another, and that translates into their team play. The Rockets showed what they could do during the 22 game stretch, but I think that becomes a season-long push next year if they have the talent and stay free of injuries (please PLEASE let them stay healthy) next season.

I am looking forward to the playoffs. I hope we can do well and get out of the first round. I like our chances to get out of the first round, but we have established too much this season to blow it up if we get bounced early. This team has shown sustained flashes of what they can be, and I definitely can't wait to see how they do next year.

 

I totaly agree on the areas needing the upgrade

 

Agreed. I was just listing them, not prioritizing them.

 

Winning in the first round this year is a must. If they do not get past the first round they will not have a good year next year. I would not think any team has ever jumped from losing in the first round to NBA champions. Although Boston has a good chance of doing something even more impressive this year. But in the West, won't happen.

 

I'm not going to rain on a the parade, but this team with a healthy yao is still a couple players away from being serious championship quality players.

We have been talking about next season every year since Yao has been here. Every yr its always something. I also think that for the 3rd straight yr, we can now call Yao injury prone. I don't really know how much u can really count on yao playing 70 games. When u always have guys missing games, it really interupts any rhythm u get. If u go look at contenders, they all have diversified attacks and maintain a level of health. The rox haven't shown they can stay healthy. We'll go into offseason looking for the same thing we have for 4 yrs now. We still need atheletes, finishers, and a 3rd scorer. Don't know how many yrs it take to find those guys, but it seems like other teams have been able to shape their roster quicker than the rox.

 

right on the money.

 

a nice perspective, i don't know if Yao is our leader though or our hardest worker.

I don't think we really have one. Part of the reason this team has some issues with leadership is because they rely heavily on Deke and Battier (who is probably one of the hardest working players in basketball) for inspiration. Yao seems a little too timid and unsure of himself to lead a whole team. Same goes for Tracy.

I don't think it really matters though. I think people like to build up expectations and assumptions about our players, i would rather just look at what he was before he left a 22 and 11 post player. That would help any team regardless of leadership.

 

agreed.

to add to that -

1. a new pg who can SHOOT. (otherwise rafer is good enough to handle the ball.) hate to see people double yao and mcgrady without being punished.

2. athletic wing, hell yeah. but make sure we get tall ones. hate to see luther has to defend the stackhouse's and get owned again and again.

3. a backup center who at least is not an offensive liability. as much as i like deke and chuck, sometimes it's just too much ground to cover when we play 4-on-5 at the other end.

but whom should we shoot for? i have no idea. at least i won't think about that after the season is over. and i'm sure morey will have better ideas than the most of us.

 

This thread makes it sound like we're already eliminated from the playoffs or as if we didn't even make the playoffs. We are still very much alive and I believe.

 

Hear, hear! I think we beat the Suns if we draw Phoenix and have HCA. We would have been stronger contenders this year with Yao. I think we had a shot at the Finals. Not favored (no team is favored), but at least a shot.

I think some of the purpose of this thread is that things look very bright next year with Yao back, us loading up over the offseason, and everyone a year wiser in Rick's system. There's so much doom and gloom on this board. You have to keep things in perspective and look at our future. It hasn't been this bright in such a long time.

 

Yao's injury was a dissapointment, but everything else about this season has been great. There is no reason to get down. If we win a playoff series, that will be icing on the cake. If we don't, it's not going to upset me the way it did last year.

 

I would say even if we did not make the playoffs this season, I would have still be happy becasue the team played enjoyable basket ball even during record injuries and trades throughout the season.

 

Isn't this what the rox have been looking for for 4 or 5 yrs? They tried the bob sura's and rafer alston at pg. They've played with barry and wesley at backup 2. They gave away that atheletic wing ur talking about.

Point is, they need multi tool players. Stop keeping the 1 trick pony luther,novak,and hayes types and get some basketball players. I'm tired of looking vor this mystery pg. Hand the reigns over to Brooks just like spurs did with parker. Let him penetrate and get in the middle of defenses. Don't try to turn him into a spot up player, let him roll.

The athelete with size can be found every yr. I mean how hard is it to get a 6'8 atheletic guy to play 25-30 mins? I mean from matt barnes, to grant hill, to ariza,to james jones. Most teams have 4 or 5 of those on the roster.

The backup center needs to able to play. Recent history has shown us the big fella is injury prone. This backup needs to be able to start some games and play well. Ur never going to be able to replace yao's production, but that backup if called upon needs to be 10 and 8 if yao misses games.

I don't want to pull old threads, but it seems like we're always talking about next yr as our 2 best players get a yr older.

 

Yeah... well it still aggravates me that this "reflection" topic comes up before it's all over.

If, or when, the season was/is over... THEN this would have been perfect.

I guess we'll see more of this should the Rockets drop a game in round one, or at any point in the playoffs.

I just hate these "talking like it's already done" type threads when we've got a lot of ball left to play.






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