it seems to me most of this board is already claiming the rockets as next season's champions. i know that happens every year, but this year especially. however, i'm just not convinced. i think we did a great job of getting talent, but i feel like we're still missing something. the biggest worry i have is our perimeter shooting. if you look at the Spurs, Mavs, and Suns, those teams have at least 5 players that are capable of lighting you up beyond the arc. the Spurs have Ginobili, Finley, Barry, Horry, Bowen, and Udrih. the Mavs have Dirk, Terry (rockets killer), Stackhouse, Devean George (rockets killer #2), Josh Howard, and now Eddie Jones. the only players we have that are consistent 3 point threats are: Battier, Mike James, and Luther Head, and two of them are stand still shooters. it also doesn't help that Head will be vying for minutes. I feel like if we had a Jerry Stackhouse type player...someone who could shoot the 3 yet get to the basket and finish, our roster would be complete. any thoughts?
This is what other teams will be saying after we whoop em <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aYKIcnj1MJY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aYKIcnj1MJY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Yeah, we get excited every year before the season. I remember last year when you had a nearly perfect preseason everybody saw us as champs. Nowak and John John had played very well during the summer. Optimisim is of course a good thing. However, we'll only know how good we are as the season progresess. There are many factors and a lot of luck (baring injuries, playoff opponents) that make you a champ at the end....
Last year, before preseason, people were calling lottery. We had a lot of angry fans about the Battier trade. We didn't improve the team by all that much. But then we signed Bonzi before training camp, and everyone thought he was the missing piece, which he may have been had he been in shape and healthy all season. But I'm one of the few pessimists on this board. I predict TMac and Yao both get injured, as will Bonzi, Mutombo will average less than 5 minutes a game, and we'll end up with the 5 seed, meaning no homecourt, and lose to Utah again in Round 1 in 5 games. I don't think this system keeps guys like Francis and Mike James in check. I also hope Yao won't be hanging around the perimeter 60% of the time. He should be down low for 70% of the time and out on the perimeter 30% of the time only to help set up the offense and initiate plays. I also hope Battier and Alston's 3 pt pct don't take a dip under this offense, because mine certainly did when I ran it in high school. I haven't even gotten to defense. If it's as pitiful as the last 3 preseason games, then kiss our playoff hopes goodbye. We will get eaten alive by the pick and roll and penetration by opposing guards. Oh and turnovers. They kill me. Yao and Tracy are turnover-prone. As are Bonzi and Francis. And 3 out of these 4 guys will have the ball in their hands to initiate offense a majority of the time. Yikes. Another 1st Round loss. Sucks for Morey because he's done a great job.
Being skeptical about this team winning it all is normal, healthy. It's way to early for anyone to pretend this team is a favorite for the Championship. However, our roster is as stacked as any in the league so to say we are at a disadvantage on paper is not accurate IMO.
let's see we have the best starting 5 last yr in terms of pt differential so check in that sense (now we have a better offense) we have a GREAT bench so our depth is great so check yes i think we are
we predicted big things last yr b/c we though bonzi would be utilized. we thought vspan would be utilized. that's why. if they did, maybe our depth wouldn't be just head and howard and actually a few more scorers.
Expect the first couple of months to be rough, with tough schedule and early adjustment to the new Adelman's style (well, also the fact that RA hasn't quite decided how to play the team, and he is bound to tweak the team the first 2 months). Expect that we will do very well after the all-star break, and peaking by the playoff time. May not have homecourt this time, but I'd bet this team can go deep, maybe even all the way. Let's face it, no other team can match up with all top 8-9 of our players, not even a team as deep as Dallas or Utah. As long as the team come together under RA, this will be a heluva of team. The only way Dallas, Utah, and San Antonio can beat us is by playing their starters all game long, close to 40 mins, which will kill them on a 7-game series.
We made an insane number of off season moves, including in a coaching change. I think we are significantly better and we SHOULD pass the first round without much of a problem. Of course I am assuming that TMAC and Yao are injured free, Mike James, Stevie, and Bonzi behave, RA's system flows well with our team, Scola lives up to expectations and more...etc. etc. etc. We have a high ceiling for this team and lots of potential. There is no doubt about it. We need to see how we match up against Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio. I don't care what columnists say. It makes no difference if people give the Rockets respect or not. That doesn't win games. I am excited to see what this team can do though.
Coach 'A' and Morey have quite a job on their hands when you consider:- Finding out that Rafer Alston is the only experienced Point Guard who at present can play anything like a playmaker point guard. Realizing that we have so many players who have difficulty playing the team game. Our back up Center is good for about 5 mins a game and that our new big man doesn't even have a notion on how to play his position. Novac having tried his best is still falling short of the min reqirements for an NBA player. Another Rookie destroyed by JVG! Feeling the urge to make a last minute trade which will reduce our roster and bring us another quality player, which causes them big stress because it will still keep us in the Lux Tax Status, and Les won't like that!! Trying to find where Sura is staying over the next couple of days/nights to tell him his career in Basketball is over. Landry is going to make it! Good News!! Mike James is a one man band, playing every instrument and in every position on the court! To him Chemistry is not even worth thinking about. We have Battier and the Grizz have Rudy Gay! Steve Francis still needs to get into game shape Coach 'A' looks rather on the soft side but I hope he can be firm with the ones who just won't play the team game. Things could look bright especially is Scola gets a lot of playing time with Yao Ming, otherwise he might be wasted if he is playing with the second tier guys! Morey could be in the dog house if he is the cause of a large lUX Tax for Les! __________________
Not until they prove it, if they prove it, then they wouldn't be who we thought they were, if they don't prove it.
He was a second-round pick with virtually no other talent besides shooting wide-open shots. If JVG didn't "destroy" him it's not likely he would have turned out to be Larry Bird.
Based on recent history, and the fact that every team is overrated by their fans in the preseason, I'll say no.
VSpan was a no1. Bonzi was fat and hurt. This year, we actually got established guys. Scola is the best player in the world outside the US. It's on his resume. It's on his stats. He has evidence to prove it. VMac had nothing, other than his thinking he was all that. Francis is an allstar. James is a proven scorer at the prime of his career.
In the playoffs starters play 40 minutes anyway, regardless of depth. Coaches shrink their rotations to 7, so that argument is faulty. I doubt we go more than 9 during the season and we definitely won't go over 8 during the playoffs. Adelman is known for playing a very thin rotation too.
A little optimism is warranted given the upgrades. The Spurs, Mavs, Suns won't rule the top forever. You are right about perimeter shooting, but those teams don't have Yao in the post. We have sufficient perimeter shooting to compliment our strengths.
