I was listening to the radio and they made a good point. The worst team in the playoffs won 50 games. If only yao comes back do we win more than 50 games? I think we can win 52 or 53 games, but if yao misses some time well we might win only 48 games. If this team comes back as is what teams are we better than?
With a healthy Yao, we are a championship contender. That is why it is so important that we get a backup for him.
There is no question we can make the playoffs with last year's roster + Yao + Patterson + tweaks with the MLE / LLE. Yes, the worst team in the playoffs won 50 games, but the BEST team only won 57. Honestly, last season was probably an anomaly regardless.
We can win a championship if Yao is healthy with the team we have right now. We may not be favored, but we will be in the mix as is..... DD
This is the main reason why i am not big on any of the free agents available because we don't need any position but backup center filled.
One also has to think about other teams that may fall off. Portland and OKC will obviously be more dangerous, Dallas is worrying because of DUST which can easily grab a second-tier star like Granger (though they'll choke because they suck), and LA is LA However, one can easily expect Phoenix to dramatically fall off since it is very likely STAT leaves, and while I can never count out the Spurs, they barely made the playoffs and will only get worse without any drastic roster changes with the decline of Manu and Timmy. Even Denver could begin to fall off as Chauncey has definitely declined, and the Nuggets, a team filled with idiots, are incredibly dependent on his smarts and leadership to keep them afloat, while Utah is continually battling luxury tax issues with a team that just isn't good enough, combined with the fact that Boozer could also leave. I doubt 50 games will give you 8th place like it did this year.
I think we'd be about where we usually are: 50-55 wins, "contending" for home court advantage. 50/50 that we get out of the first round.
We've made it to the playoffs before Bosh and just missed it last season without Bosh and Yao. To me, Bosh is not someone I'd place hopes on, since he was the 'Man' in Toronto and never made it out the first round in the Eastern conference. Any trade we make to get him, would have depleted us a year or two and my guess is that Bosh and a injured Yao wouldn't have gotten us that far anyway.
Durvasa, I think we are better than that.....since the TMac and Yao dominated teams that were at the 50-55 win level we have done the following. PG - replaced Rafer with Aaron Brooks - Much improved. SG - Replaced Tmac with K. Mart - A little weaker, but not that much SF - Battier/Ariza/CBud - Much deeper, better options - overall improved PF - Scola/Hill - While Scola/Landry was good, Hill can block shots - improved C - Yao/Hill - Well, this is where we need a healthy Yao Bench - Lowry, Budinger, Hill, Jeffries, Hayes, Taylor, Patterson - no contest this bench is much better and deeper. So to me, the team overall has gotten better and more versatile as a unit....now granted we are still tied to Yao's health, but since he has a contract, we have to run with that. DD
Can we? Yes. Will we we? IDK Even if we get Bosh, the playoffs are no guarantee. Its not like the Raptors have been a top team in the East with him. Really our ability to make the playoffs will hinge on health with or without Chris Bosh.
We may very well lose either Lowry, Jeffries, Hayes, or Scola. They are all expiring... I mean, if we're really going to attempt to get Bosh... Jeffries, Hayes, and maybe even Scola are gone...
if Yao is healthy the whole 2010 season (playoffs also) we def are a PO squad as is with no further additions.. we are better than OKC/Utah/Azz/Spurs/Por/PHX/Dal/Den pretty every team in the West and on par with the Fakers no homer-ism
I wouldn't go that far, but make the playoffs? Absolutely. Depending on what they get for Boozer, Jazz will take a step back. Hornets are in disarray. Lakers and Thunder are shoe ins. Dallas needs to reload well with a Dampier trade to stay strong. Spurs are shaky at best and need to win big in a Parker trade to make up for their rapid decline. Phoenix needs to hope they get a good return in an Amare S&T. If he simply walks, they're in huge trouble. Portland's had injury and chemistry concerns dogging them. Denver looks solid. Memphis and Sacramento could be playoff contenders. Memphis could also implode, depending on the Gay and Randolph situations. We are a difficult team to predict right now, because who knows what we end up looking like. We're only assuming at this point that Lowry and Scola do resign and that negotiations don't take a nasty turn. We literally can not say what Yao Ming we will see come Nov, or how well the rebuilt foot will stand up to 82 games of pounding. Hill is a wildcard - he could step up and become a dynamic F/C, or he could coast his way into a disappointment. Patterson could be a key frontcourt guy, or he could be buried on the bench. Jermaine Taylor, rotation worthy or no? and then we have to see who even stays past Mystery Mega Blockbuster Trade X. There's also going to be our potential MLE signing (Miller, Foye, other, no one) Right now, we have: (Yao)/Andersen/Hayes (Scola)/Hill/Patterson/Jeffries Ariza/Battier/Budinger Martin/Taylor Brooks/(Lowry) Assuming the (Maybe) players are there and playing well, that's an awfully good looking group, especially the starters and frountcourt bench. Backup guard depth would be my chief concern (I'm not convinced Chase or Ariza work well at the 2). The Martin/Brooks defensive issues are easily mitigated by the bigs (a sound basketball philosophy). All I know is, I can't wait for the 2010-11 roster to get ironed out.
Would we make the playoffs? Yes. Would we have a better shot at a title with Bosh? Yes. Would we still be considered a legit title contender without Bosh? Probably not. But then again, the '93-'94 Rockets weren't really considered title contenders either.
Don't forget guys that these players will improve this year. AB Hill Budinger Taylor Lowry Ariza KMart All of them will be more comfortable and improving as NBA players for the Rockets, so if you consider that and a healthy Yao, I do believe we are RIGHT there.... DD
