Maybe I'm forgetting something, but I think the Spurs were up 20+ in the second half of game 1 against the Warriors before Kawhi got injured. I think if that didn't happen you might be looking at a Spurs team advancing. Maybe not. Who knows for sure. The JVG teams were constructed in a different era, in which the salary cap was particularly restrictive in who the Rockets could sign because TMAC and Yao both had huge salaries. Journeymen like Jim Jackson and Bobby Jackson are not equivalent to a free agent signing like Kevin Durant. I do, however, believe the Rockets would have at least made the NBA finals under Rick Adelman playing with Dawson and JVG's team if TMac and Yao hadn't succumbed to injuries. The Rockets team with Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Chuck Hayes, Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry alongside a healthy TMAC and Yao would have been enough IMHO. That team was tough and played excellent defense. Even without the all stars we were able to take a 65 win and eventual world champion Lakers team to seven games and scare the **** our of them: http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=290514010 I agree that 'defense wins championships' is obviously too simplistic overall, but it's an essential ingredient to win close playoff games. If our coach is unable or unwilling to take that simple fact to heart, then I don't know how we will ever make it to the promised land. I hope I'm wrong, but I believe it to be true. Fingers crossed that, as other users have mentioned, a tough free agent acquisition (a la Ron Ron) will change that in lieu of a coaching change.
The mid 2000's Tmac rockets that didn't get out of the first round would challenge the Warriors. Yes, yes they would.
