[CHRONIC] Through two conference finals, is this the company the Rockets keep?

That was a great all-around blog from Feigen.

 

His word usage and grammar stinks.

 

Because of our sick defense we'll stay up there with the big boys. Add to that we had not gotten quality play from our PG or PF position in recent history. So now other teams have to worry about AB and Scola on top of Yao. I think we're one closer away from making an even deeper run next year.

 

I believe this Rockets IS THAT GOOD with the starting lineup the way IT IS. However, if you put Tmac in the starting lineup...i am not too sure!! The reason being that with Tmac, the offense is totally different. IT's like another team out there...a NOT SO GOOD TEAM from what i seen so far compare to the lineup with Artest and Battier.

Sure we need scoring when Yao is fronted and we need Tmac to generate the offense but i am not convinced that the team flow better offensively with Tmac in there. I seen enough to realize that we're a MUCH BETTER team without Tmac in the lineup and we're absolutely a KILLER in TEAM DEFENSE with Ron and Battier in the lineup. We're also poised and consistent with this lineup...more competitiveness, hustling, and determination.

With Tmac, the offense is sort of relax and the team defense is horrible. I have seen enough of what type of offense we have with Tmac and without him and that is why i made this conclusion. Maybe a healthy Tmac will make the team better...but i am not certain because Tmac has never been a competitive player and is always a question mark when it comes to effort and hustling and dominating. He is totally different from some of players that are starters such as Scola, Shane, Ron, Yao, Lowry and Hayes. He does not has that fire in him which is a reason why he failed in the Playoffs imo. When Kobe decided to take over...he took over..he ain't going to pass to his teammates looking to bail him out. Kobe knows when to take over. Tmac just smile and relax even when his team is losing.

 

I believe that if Yao didn't go down, Rockets should defeat LA Fakers. Game 4 and 6 showed Fakers are really fakers, but they can afford these losses because they gain their HC back. The statement game is #1. Rockets definitely can beat them in their HC.

At the begining of the season, I believed Rockets can win 60+ games and be a contender even if Tmac or Ron went down. It is the case after all. The only major thing I feel not comfortable about this team is Yao's attitude. He's not confident on himself. He's just like many fans here, he's a disbeliever of this team. He didn't realize how talented they are.

I think many of fans underestimate "the heart of champion". Battier/Scola/Hayes/Rafer had them. This team is really special and gifted. If they keep Ron and Wafer, make some minor moves and sign Kidd with MLE, they will settle for next season.

 

Unfortunately I agree with this analysis. T-MAC demands the ball thus taking aways shots from our other starters, thus making them play differently.

If T-MAC cannot be trade this season, I believe the best way he can serve this team is by coming off the beach and beating up on the other teams second unit. This would be a huge advantage on our part. Yet I doubt T-MAC would want to do this.

 

I think a healthy Tmac will help Rockets both offensely and defensely. Ron's defense is overrated and he's slower. Tmac can be a defense power when he had the willingness to defense.

 

Tmac can play the role artest filled in this year which is shooting the ball.

 

The Rockets are definitely that good. LA just had the Rockets kryptonite in great size and skill up front. Of course, every guy over 6'9" going down made that worse.

If this team lands an athletic 7 footer to backup Yao then they will be officially scary. Even with Yao out this team would have beat LA if it had one guy who could keep up with Gasol's size and throw the Lakers off balance.

 

If we dump artest, get a back-up center, and keep everyone else (get healthy), i think we can contend for the championship next season.

 

If Morey miraculously made that NO trade involving Paul which is mentioned in the other thread, we'll be definitely a contender..

 

I feel like a simple addition like a Mikki Moore would have been a huge help in taking on Pau Gasol.

 

It's not really up to Morey to make that trade. That thread is made of pure speculations and isn't even considerable to be a rumor. It's got as much grounds as the thread about Yao moving to Cleveland because Chinese investors own part of that franchise.

 

I too love the defensive intensity the Roxs bring when Ron and Shane are in the game. We have hustle and high energy guys threw out the line up. I'd like to see most of the guys return. Tracy just doesn't cut it and I'd like to see his salary used to keep this team together and add a couple of componets. Von Wafer played great this year, but the games changes come playoffs. I'd like to see a large PF that could run the court and also play center when Yao's out.

 

Personally, while I felt the talent level had improved under Morey, I still did not believe the team was talented enough to do what they just did. Frankly, I am a bit puzzled. Did they simply play at times way over their heads like they did during the 22 game streak OR is the talent underestimated? Frankly, I'm not sure and maybe the Rockets organization doesn't know either. It will take awhile to process all this. I have NO confidence in the return of TMac; I think that is a non-issue. I strongly recommend that he and his contract be moved. As to Yao, only he knows for sure. I think the team's playoff performance has probably inclined him to renew his contract. Should it be renewed is not a slam dunk; I think there are reasons to proceed with caution (which likely won't happen as Les has likely already made up his mind). Bottomline, are the Rockets just a player or two away from a finals appearance? Maybe.

 

I truly believe the Rockets have what it takes to go deeper in the playoffs. Couple of things didn't go the way we wanted aka Mcgrady. However, there is no doubt that a healthy Mcgrady would've made the team better. Also, the scenario that played out with Deke was very unfortunate. During the regular season, Deke barely played at all but once we got to the playoffs, Adelman was willing to use Deke for all his worth. Too bad he didn't last two games and we were left without a backup center. Eventually Yao went down and we did all we could in the playoffs against the Lakers.

 

As presently constructed, or with additions? And who would be those additions and possible subtractions? And just for the record, I am one who believes that the TMac/Yao duo would not have taken us as far. They have not done it in the past, why would they have done it this time? I know we had more talent this run, but TMac/Yao never really proved that they could mesh with the current talent. TMac has been shooting at a 30% something level for the last two seasons and taking a boatload of shots.

 

In response to some of the posts in this thread...

If we don't get Artest back and we get a healthy and willing Tracy back, assuming the roster doesn't change, then we are a better offensive team and worse defensively.

With Ron's shot-selection, I have a hard time believing that our offense would be worse with a healthy Tmac out there. Tmac may also shoot long jumpers, but he commands more double-teams and is a fantastic passer to Yao and others. Rafer made all those three-pointers with Tmac creating, and Aaron is a way better shooter than Rafer is. There's a huge upside if we get a healthy Tmac back.

On the defensive side of the ball, I think we all know that with Ron, we are a better defensive team than we are with Tmac instead. Ron may be slower than his prime, but his body build and his strength will let him guard bigger small forwards better than Shane can. Shane is able to stay in front of quicker guards like Kobe, while Artest can body up stronger players like LeBron, and make it harder for them to score. Tmac is not the same player defensively as Ron.

I remember that right after the Ron Artest trade, we were all pretty excited for the Rockets having the "big 3" and now could contend with the elites of the West. We all know that injuries derailed that dream, but we also saw what this team could do and how deep this team is. If healthy, are the Rockets a title contender? Absolutely. I trust Morey to continue loading up talent and trade pieces this off season and give Rockets an even better shot next season than this one.

Even though we lost to the Lakers, this is still a good time to be a Rockets fan.

 

Going from stating their willingness to upgrade a position if it presented itself (see Morey's end of season press conference) to more or less, staying pat.