Before season started: What would you consider successful?

Look, seriously, honestly, we overcame the freaking Clippers in 7 ... one team we always had trouble with. It has been really really good.

Let's go get them Warriors the next two. Gotta step on their throat from the get go.

 

The season is a success but the way this team has channeled clutch city, not going all the way now would be heartbreaking.

 

Harden is my concern as well. We CANNOT rely on Harden going Super Saiyan every game to bring us home. The other guys HAVE to step up at least 1/2 of the games in Houston. On the road, we need to lean on Harden, but at home... it's all about the supporting cast. If they drop a deuce, we lose. Simple as that.

 

Well, they are a 67 win team. We fought and we came up a little short. Happens all the time. The Sac Kings in early 2000 went bit by bit and WCF was their ceiling. I think we are already ahead with Harden only being 25.

BUT, I AM NOT GIVING UP THIS SEASON, not yet.

 

Great to put things in perspective.

 

But Dwight is 29, and not getting any more athletic and certain not any more skilled. Unless Morey pulls out magic, we may NEVER get back to the WCF. Hell, look at OKC. Everyone thought they were the next dynasty, but they're one KD foot away from being washed up.

 

Because as a fan, you can overlook the wear and tear of a Game7 because you are not playing

The Clippers went through 7 games, lost Chris Paul and also lost the series.

The Rox are going through injuries, and also down 0-2.

And they probably go another 6 or 7 games.....

The EC champ is going to laugh at the WC

What would have been otherwise an easier series will be more even with the WC champ going the full distance.

 

NBA Championship. That's the measure of success in sports. None other.


That said, I didn't think this team would make the playoffs. That said, I didn't think Corey Brewer would be acquired and such a difference maker. Or Josh Smith. Or Jason Terry. Or Ariza. Or Jones. Or Harden.

 

Making it this far is a successful season. Problem is the Warriors are looking like a historically great team and more importantly they're damn lucky health wise. We are missing two starters let's see what they would look like if Green or Barnes went down.

I am very very impressed that we are taking these games down to the wire on their court. Extremely proud of the guys.

Even better we could bring back this same group minus dead weight like Papa and likely find an upgrade at PG somewhere. We are still a young team and well positioned for the next few years to continue to make a serious run.

Be proud guys it's frustrating but there are fans of many other teams out there that have way more cause to be upset than us.

 

i think it's a feature for contributing members

 

Laughed when Kerr was like..."They are finally fully healthy..." No buddy if the Rockets were full strength...yall would be exposed.

 

lock this thread until our season is over, please.

please, ppls. this is not the time to talk about things like this. we are in the midst of a fight. ride and enjoy the moment while it lasts.

 

This season has definitely been a succrss for me especially after the injuries. This series couldve been 2-0 in our favor though. A couple of bounces and we couldve had it boys.

 

Their window is still open for a couple more years if they can avoid injuries. Shoot, even as Dwight does start to deteriorate, maybe Capela will step in to fill that loss of production. They just need to get a point guard to compliment James in the backcourt. Imagine if Curry had to actually work on defense this series.

 

The season's not over yet. It sounds like the OP and most of the posters on this thread have written off the team after going down 0-2 in the WCF. I get it, you're trying to call the season a success already to head off the potential heartbreak of a WCF loss.

It's too early, let's see how the WCF plays out before we decide to "look back" on the season. We're only talking a week or so, why are people always trying to jump the gun? What would be the point of this thread if we win the WCF?

 

Interesting that so many thought we would make it to the WCF with the roster we had on October 31.

 

This season is already a great success. The Rockets have gone up and above my expectations considering the injuries.

 

Expectations are always high when you have Harden and Howard.

Championship should be their ceiling.....

You are right that the lineup without Smith and Brewer and Prigs would not be in the 3rd round. They were not here before the season.

Nonetheless the expectations remain high every offseason

 

Before the season started, I thought we'd struggle to make the playoffs. I was somewhat annoyed by the homers talking about how Joey Dorsey had proven himself in Europe, or Jeff Adrien had put together a "great" twenty-game stretch in Milwaukee. We had no depth and were a Harden or Howard injury away from the lottery.

Instead, we acquired Brewer and Smith, Dmo improved greatly, Harden became a true superstar, and the Rockets overcame the injury to Howard. Once in the playoffs, these knuckleheads have played with a lot more heart, grit and determination than I really expected from them. Going in to this series, I said it was the biggest 1-2 seed mismatch in a CF since 1996 Bulls-Magic.

They've consistently exceeded my expectations. Relative to expectations, this is the best Rockets season since 1994. I expected the 95 Rockets to repeat before the season; I expected Barkley to get them over the hump again in 1997. After twenty years, I'm just enjoying the ride.