Yep, that's a 3rd person reference. Let's face it. The team is still learning to play together. This is not a team that will put up a 10 game win streak. This is a team that will lose the ones they 'are supposed to win' and win to ones that makes all gleam with pride (see SAC, see LAL). Trademark of a young team that hasn't come close to peaking. Im thinking back to the Hakeem days pre-champ days... I remember then, the Rockets would play to their opponents level. Same with Oiler and Astro teams. This is just what an up and coming team does. We have to learn to win. Learn how to close out games. Learn how to come to play EVERY night, and learn to let the game come to us. ( I say this as if I'm part of the team.....lol) Oh you can panic if you want..... But I've seen this before and I believe. This team has heart. This team has desire. This team is immature and THIS is part of the process. We're still in the playoff race and IMO there's no where else to go but up. It's gonna be peaks and valleys. Francis is still learning and the team mimics his presence, if you will. (for whatever that means....lol) As he matures, the team will. And as Francis slowley increases his court awareness this team will gel. Oh yeah, note to the Eddie haters: Think Jermane Oneal on the Blazers..... still wanna give up on him....lol. The guy should be what, a Junior? check it....please!! We improved from last year's win total in approx half a season. If we improve on the first half of the season in the second. We should make the playoffs. And then the REAL learning process will start. Be patient. We're a few years off. back to lurk mode
55 looks and no reply yet? Ok, I'm an obscure poster. I lurk. My point is usually made before I post. But c'mon guys, I'm reading these knee jerk reaction posts that are inspired by emotion from the outcomes of each game. I've seen enough seasons to know not to live and die by each game, but take 'chunks' and see a bigger picture. I guess no one remembers what it's like to rebuild. Everyone wants immediate results or else heads need to roll Eddie-young Mobley-solid but has some shortcomings Francis- still trying to shake off his blinders Ming-....uh, young, foreign, culture shock...geez, all that and still I'm in awe. Mo T - coming off a full year of rehab Posey - new to the team This is a team that still needs time to gel.
This is on cnnsi.com: Houston Rockets Smith: There are no more excuses for Houston. They have to make the playoffs. They are not young anymore. One of the things they really have to address is their offensive strategy. They still are a one-on-one, half court type of team but they don’t have one-on-one, half court type players anymore. Yao Ming is a good player, however he only changes the game in one area. Even though he gets some blocked shots, he’s not a defensive presence right now. That’s what he has to work on. I don't quite understand what Kenny's talking about though. Don't we have many one-on-one players (Steve and Cuttino) but we want to get rid of this style?
I'm not so sure anymore that we 'have to make the playoffs' in Les's mind. Rudy is safe as long as we show a little improvement. But I still think we will hit a stride after the all-star break. Hell, we still need to work in Boki. I think we are painstakingly progressing, but possibly not as fast as most fans want to see.
Duh, Kenny is off my list for future Rox coach. But I am with Kenny that Rox MUST make the playoffs this season. I don't expect them to win it all but for crying out loud, at least make it to the post-season.
It's because you are too positive Bigman!! Since you've been a lurker for quite awhile (as I was before), you know that most positive posts sink to the bottom (unless you are Vengenance, or is it Uprising). Anyways, I agree with you that the old Rocks would play to the level of their opponents but not nearly as often as the guys now. But shouldn't that be expected since we are such a young team playing in a very difficult conference. Let's see, a rookie center who everyone thinks should be the focal point of the offense, veterans who, more often than not, don't do anything, and 4 players on the bench who would have difficulty making any other roster. And we're supposed to compete with the Lakers, Suns, Wolves, and Jazz?? And yet we are and that's a testament to the talent that this team has. The fun part is finding out if we can do it this year and like you, I believe in this team's heart. But, with their shortcomings in mind, I resign myself to the thought that I should appreciate the playoff hunt, but not a playoff spot.
