Realistically I thought we had a decent chance against them. I thought if we took care of business at home this team could steal one on the road. If a few things happened differently like some made layups and free throws, we might be up 2-0. It's more than likely over but you never know. The West is crazy good, wish we could play a 1st round in the east so I wouldn't have to feel sick like I do now.
After Yao went down, I didn't expect the Rockets to get out of the first round, and I'm not the least surprised that Utah is kicking their ass. There will be plenty of time to hash over all this during the off season, but I don't think the Rockets are even remotely close to being a championship team. Major changes are needed, not tweaks.
I hope we win, but if we lose, I hope we could be the only team in nba history to come from 0-3. ...we already did a 22 game streak....2nd in nba history, might as well set another record
Well we probably would have won at least one game with Rafer if he was healthy. It is not out of the question for us to still win one, but it is more doubtful. Rafer usually has about one in three games in which he shoots like a good starting point guard and we almost always win those games, sometimes quite easily. With his dribbling skills and the fact that he is a bad shooter who other teams are willing to let shoot, he is always open.
Think about it. If you're the houston rockets, you're competing in the playoffs without your starting center and point guard. probably the 2 most crucial positions for offense and defense. that's 40% of your starting lineup. what the **** is the long ass post about? no team missing that much of their team is going to advance period. 1) tmac does have problems finishing but there's no one else you could plug in in the history of the world that would have advanced this hobbled team past utah. yes. for homers that does include kobe (who has achieved no more than tmac with equal/greater support), jordan (who flamed out for years with a crappy team and again the one year he didn't have a top 10 PF, swingman and deadeye 3PT shooter covering his ass) AND ALSO TARIQUE CHRIST, that's jesus's half north african brother from another mother who did with a basketball what jesus did with water and wine. so QQ 2) 22 game streak is a fluke. did the team deserve it through hard work and heart? yes. do you also need providence from a higher power to achieve that kind of luck? yes. the team deserved it but no team iS GUARANTEED a historic streak like that and no it could never replicate it... neither could any other team replicate it save 1 team in the history of the universe so far. so by definition it's a fluke. a well deserved fluke but a fluke at the most basic 3. that's assuming that what this board thinks matters an atom in the grand universe of things. the entire board could think something and it would make 0 practical difference in wins and losses. that's point #1. Point B. NO ONE thought the streak had any bearing on the playoffs but noobs. and in truth only about 50% of this board are noobs. People who actually played basketball and have kissed a girl went BALLS OUT supporting the team during the streak and enjoyed the moment because they ALL KNEW that the streak meant jack in the playoffs. and no, the team isn't necessarily closer to a chip than 2 years ago. 3 MONTHS AGO yes it was closer based on how the entire team was truckin including yao. but next year they need to redevelop that chemistry with the new guys, get their minds right, and also see how they compare to the competition. with all these injuries and teams retooling and a new season, it's back to square 1 for every team... why do you think even the best teams have a problem repeating? houston has major talent.. yes so do 12 other teams in the NBA... a huge part of the equation is what moves morey makes this summer
Those were my expectations exactly. But once we drew Utah, I had a bad feeling. I felt okay with almost any of the other teams in the Western Conference except Utah, even though I kept holding out (and am still hoping) that the other Rockets would really want to get revenge for getting beat on their home floor in Game 7. Now we're down 0-2 and struggling to stay alive... so we'll just have to see. Only time will tell. I'm proud of all the Rockets did this regular season, but like some of you, I won't consider this season a success without at least winning a playoff series. We're due.
With Yao out, it's had huge effect on our 'options' When Yao was in, him and Tracy were 1 and 2, 2 and 1 offensively. Scola, Alston, Battier...they were freer to do whatever they wanted to do. Less attention was paid to them. Scola or Alston as the 3rd option isn't TOO bad when you think about it. But Scola or Alston as the second option? You're gonna have problems with the offense for sure. With Yao around I can see Scola and Landry doing a lot more damage and doing a lot of mop-up work around the paint. But when they have to be the primary offensive producer, they're gonna die. T-mac and Yao gets injured WAY too often though. too often than not we are thin on talent because they get injured so much.
Expectations in December - happy to just make the playoffs. Expectations end of March - just a small possiblity of 2nd round if Rockets got Denver or Golden State. Otherwise 1st round exit without Yao.
