No, not a contender. But if the Rockets make the playoffs as constructed, maybe they push a top seed to 6 or 7 games. Which is cool I guess. I think the comparison to the Pistons is fun. High effort, defensive minded, and offensively egalitarian (kinda) teams. But those Pistons had like 4 All-Defensive players in the starting lineup and none of them were coming off multiple season ending injuries. Maybe Oladipo or Wall really turn back the clock, but I'd be surprised if any Rocket makes an All-Defensive team this year. Recent games have been promising. Not the greatest competition so far, but good teams win games they're supposed to.
We can be contenders. Everybody from the front office to the team itself has to do everything the right way.
Are we a contender this year no we are not. But we have a lot of young pieces that have potential. I would like to see this team grow organically and draft well. You know, like that other team on the west coast before Durant joined.
I still think my guess as to what we are from when the trade happened is still likely accurate. All things go as well as they can and we could finish 7-8. MAYBE 6 but I dunno seems like a stretch. Average to below average luck and we finish 9-11. Bad luck and we finish 12-14.(Minny is doomed to finish last) Right now I’d say things are really going are way. Playing well, facing some teams at opportune times and we are on a nice little roll. We will see if it can continue.
we are the team that nobody wants to face in a playoff series. contender? not yet. if we can add another all star type of player, then yes, we'd be a contender for the championship.
We are getting better. Two games in a row with 48-point quarters is impressive. If we work that defense, share the ball and minutes, stay healthy, and put team before self-- lot of ifs there-- hell yeah we are contenders. Since Harden's departure, I've enjoyed watching this scrappy bunch. United Tates of America is America's team.
Don't think so. But happy to be proven wrong. I was surprised early with so many good defenders why our defence was trash. If our defence keeps getting better. Yeah we could be contenders. Wall Oladipo Wood are borderline all stars. And Tucker Tate Gordon Cousins are great backups. House Brown Nwaba as the 8-10th players is stupidly strong. And apart from Wood none of those guys are bad defenders and Wood is showing improvement. Exum was starting on a Cavs team in the 8. Out East. And is not in our rotation. Is a good sign.
We have a very special team and fun to watch. We may still have trouble against big teams like Lakers. May match well against Clippers, Jazz and Nuggets.
No. I'll be happy with a 2nd round playoff exit right now. We're looking pretty good right now, but it's been against bottom tier teams. In our last 10 games we've played 4 games with opponents with (barely) above .500 records and we lost 2 of those games. (Portland, Phoenix & San Antonio )
Depends on what is meant by contender. Contender for division title? Maybe Contender for conference title? No Contender for a ring? Definitely not. All things considered, if it were to happen that we won the division and lost in the first round of the playoffs, I would be lukewarm happy. Division title + 2nd round exit? Pretty Good. Anything more than this and I will be stunned.
