even the numbers dont help his case. He is in the same age range as giannis, jokic, embiid, ad And then there are players who are both younger AND better than him in luka, tatum, brown, simmons, booker, mitchell etc. I can safely say he will never be a top player in this league
Dallas is among the teams hit hardest with COVID missed games and has played far and away the toughest schedule so far. Also not Lukas fault that the other guy making all the money on their team only plays half the games. Not surprising that as the scheduled has started to lighten a bit and getting some guys back they have the 3rd best record over their last 10 games. I wouldn’t expect them to sit at 10th much longer.
Luka in his 2nd season guided his team of role players to the 7th seed (47 win pace) and had them very competitive against the Clippers in the 1st round please stop...
it’s not an opinion, it’s fact we are the worst shooting team in the league...that’s fact we went on a shooting tear while healthy and facing bad and/or decimated teams...that’s also a fact it is only the delusional people who thought that winning streak was what the team really is and that it was something impressive
So did And the Beat goes on Hasheem in the beginning. Ice cold take. And it is a bit too much to ask Christian lead a franchise at the moment.
Why does every other team get excuses for injuries and stuff but not the Rockets? If you take Luka off that team, they are probably no better than the Rockets. I don't think that's a controversial opinion to have.
I'm sorry, but I'm just going by your argument. and This is Wood's FIRST opportunity to have any kind of substantial role on a team and he's knocked it out of the park. The Rockets were on pace to be a playoff team while he was playing, by all available data he's been their best player and yes he's carried them and no he hasn't carried them to a top 4 seed or something nor should he have to. You're ignoring his impact to twist this into some negative thing but all of these young players, Trey Young, Luka, Devin Booker... What was Booker's team doing, btw, for these past few years? Is he not a franchise player? What about Zion? What's his team been doing? Ja Morant? Clearly, these guys can't be franchise players right since they can only drag otherwise bad teams to fringe playoff spots? Also, this is ignoring that the team was, with Wood, like a game or two out of 8th, so your initial premise (10th-11th) seed is just based on pessimism without reason.
I dont want to argue with you. I think that at the end of the day I am willing to entertain the thought that Wood is a guy who can average 22 and 10 on 55% shooting and hitting nearly 40% of his treys. Those are his numbers across 17 games this season. In his final 15 games with the Pistons in 2020 he averaged 22 and 10 on 51% shooting (41% from the promised land). 32 games is less than half a season and I can understand not wanting to extrapolate a career out of such a sample size. But I think you would agree that you wouldnt expect someone to fluke into those stats across that number of games. Nobody is comparing careers here. If we were then youd be a fool mention Wood's career with Bosh's (or Aldridge's for that matter). But both of those guys' careers have already played out. Wood's hasnt. And if he continues to produce numbers like he has then I think you have to put him in that level of elite player. And, since you kind of called me out for cherry picking, I would say that Bosh's prime years were 2008-2010 when he was a 23 and 10 guy who shot about 50% (30% from 3). But he might have actually been better in Miami where he had fewer opportunities to put up eye popping number.
Just to be clear what I was saying is that a team with Wood as it's best player maxes out as a 4-6 seed. As in, if everything else goes right they are still capped out at being 45-50 win team.
6 game win streak = “fluke”, “bad teams”, “short handed teams” 9 game losing streak = “this is who the Rockets really are” Spoiler Missed/DNP @ Blazers: Wall, Gordon, Cousins, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons @ Nuggets: Wall, Gordon, Cousins, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons vs Kings: Nwaba, Caboclo, Thomas, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons vs Kings: Harden, Caboclo, Thomas, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons vs Mavs: House, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons @ Pacers: Wood, House, Caboclo, Thomas, McLemore, Jones, Martin, Clemons vs Magic: House, Thomas, Clemons vs Lakers: House, Thomas, Clemons vs Lakers: House, Thomas, Clemons @ Spurs: Wall, Gordon, House, Oladipo, Exum, Kurucs, Thomas, Clemons @ Spurs: Wall, Gordon, Cousins, Brown, House, Oladipo, Exum, Thomas, Clemons @ Bulls: Wall, House, Brown, Kurucs, Martin, Exum, Thomas, Clemons vs Suns: Wall, House, Kurucs, Martin, Exum, Thomas, Clemons @ Pistons: Wood, Wall, House, Porter, Exum, Kurucs, Thomas, Clemons @ Mavs: Wood, Oladipo, House, Porter, Exum vs Wizards: Wood, Kurucs, Jones, Martin, Thomas, Porter, Exum vs Blazers: McLemore, Porter, Kurucs, Jones, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Pelicans: Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Thunder: Nwaba, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Thunder: Wall, Nwaba, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Grizzlies: Oladipo, Nwaba, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum vs Spurs: Wood, McLemore, Kurucs, Jones, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Hornets: Wood, Wall, Gordon, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Pelicans: Wood, Oladipo, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum vs Heat: Wood, Kurucs, Jones, Porter, Martin, Thomas, Exum @ Knicks: Wood, Oladipo, Porter, Martin, Exum @ Wizards: Wood, Oladipo, Gordon, Tucker, Kurucs, Porter, Martin, Exum @ Sixers: Wood, Oladipo, Tucker, Kurucs, Porter, Martin, Exum vs Bulls: Wood, Oladipo, Cousins, Porter, Martin, Exum @ Cavs: Wood, McLemore, Kurucs, Jones, Porter, Martin, Exum Rockets have played 30 games Games Played (Missed/DNP) Tate: 30 games (0) Tucker/Brown: 28 games(2) Nwaba: 26 games (4) Cousins: 25 games (4) Gordon: 24 games (6) Wall/McLemore: 21 games (9) House/Jones: 19 games (11) Wood: 17 games (13) Oladipo: 20 games with Rockets (8) Kurucs: 21 games with Rockets (11) Harden: 8 games (1) Martin: 7 games (23) Caboclo: 6 games (3) Thomas: 4 games (21) Patton/Spalding: 2 games with Rockets (0) Exum: 0 games (21) Porter: 0 games (17) 30 games, 19 starting lineups
Planning for the future is important. Living in the present is equally important. No use in debating whether Wood is a franchise player. But he is undoubtedly the best player in the team right now. As a basketball fan I just want to see my team play good basketball. So far, only Wood is playing consistent good basketball in Houston. And management should put the right pieces and build a team that is fun to watch again. Porter Jr would be exciting to watch as part of that team. Intentional tanking is for wimps. Live for the day and always try to put the best team on the court.
no, you’re not going by argument...you’re playing dumb Luka has already proven himself and is an entirely different tier than Wood so bringing him up was nonsensical...and the only reason I even brought it up is because of your previous nonsensical point asking me if Luka is not a franchise player because this year his team is currently in 10th at the moment... I don’t rate Booker highly, he is overrated...Morant almost made the playoffs last year with a terrible roster, and his team is currently .500 even tho they’ve been ravaged by injuries, Covid protocols, and Jaren Jackson is out for the season...all that as a 2nd year player Zion is in his 2nd year averaging 26, 7, and 3...he’s already better than Wood and is still ascending with incredible potential um no, my premise is based on recognizing that the team wasn’t that good and they wouldn’t continue shooting lights out...y’all can hold onto that little 6 game win streak for dear life, it wasn’t impressive, nor did it have me believing this was some playoff team...game or 2 outta 8th playing 1 of the easiest schedules in the league and healthy/shooting out of their minds beating up on bad teams ravaged by injuries, and that was supposed to be proof that they could playoff bound...
Having this discussion with folks online only ends up with the opposing view talking out both sides of their mouth ...save your breath and time
I brought up Luka because YOU downplayed Wood's impact on the team. But you would not do that for any of the other young players who seemingly have had the same impact as Wood has had. You're the one that hand waved away the Rockets being a fringe playoff team as if that had no value. Did you see Wood play aganist Zion and the Pelicans? Who won that battle? Here it is...who won that battle again? Based on hypocrtical reasoning. Because of course, Rockets beat up on injured bad teams and won games BUT if the Rockets are also injured and bad that doesn't even get considered from you. I challenge you, what's holding Wood back from being an All-NBA player? Is it his shot, his handle, what is it exactly that makes you think that he can't be a consistent all-star player? What is he lacking exactly?
SOS Dallas : 1st Houston : 30th Luka is still extremely young and already has had a FULL ROOKIE season under his belt as someone with clear all time talent. And it’s not much different this year. A lot of their missed games are COVID protocol. A lot of our missed games are from having a roster full of injury risks. Wood is a nice young piece. Potential to be really good but “franchise” level is an unlikely trajectory. Possible, but I wouldn’t call it great odds. Solid 2nd piece to great 3rd piece if he avoids any further injury problems. It’s a great piece to have, I just don’t consider that “franchise” player. Luka is the type of prospect where it’s unlikely he doesn’t become “franchise” level. And many would argue he’s already there.
I mean, this should be quoted whenever people use this argument. It's fine to say the Rockets are bad right now, they are. It's fine to say that injuries shouldn't be used as an excuse, I agree. I always say that... But it's something else to use injuries as an excuse for other teams and then ignore that the rockets have barely been able to start the same 5 guys 3 games in a row.
