Actually, that isn't true. The schedule is assinged by the league and the teams do not have a choice when and where they play. The only things they get to do in the preseason is look to alternate venue locations in a specific region (like Laredo) for possible regional games. Games like the one's in China are set by the league and the Rockets have to play the hand that they are dealt. The Lakers are 7-6 after the loss to the Kings tonight. Their schedule has included games against Milwaukee, Denver, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, Chicago and the Clippers. They are 5-2 at home and only 2-4 on the road with a loss to Memphis included in there. I wouldn't say we are looking significantly worse than the Lakers. In fact, the Lakers only quality win this season was against us and T-Mac missed that game with an injury.
Come on guys, we ALL know it is a long season. I am sure everyone will admit it is tough to watch the games. But I rest assured that at some point, someone with authority will step in. I can understand no chemistry, but lack of hustle and disapperences by players is getting old really fast. Anyways, we will be fine in the end. I trust this organization with the fact they want to win. We will be fine in the end. If we have this same group of guys is another question. We are just going to have to sit back and be patient. I wouldn't be suprised if a trigger is pulled anytime on any of these so called "role players". But come - There is always hope. The team is built on it. That is why we are called clutch city. The team doesn't do anything the easy way. It has to be hard or else its not worth getting.
OMG - I think its official now; he is not a rockets fan. Next thing you know he is gonna want Karl Malone, Stockton, Hornacek, Ostertag, Shandon Anderson, and Sloan. Come on man, give the guy a break.
The rockets dont play with passion. They have become one of the most boring teams in the league even with TMAC around. I just cant believe that the Cavs have a better record than us. They have Z and Bron. But we have Yao and TMAC. They have scrubs, we have scrubs. Although their scrubs are little bit better than ours. But its no excuse. We should have beaten teams like the hawks, knicks and even the lakers. But we didnt. That tells something about this team right now. As Lebron elevated his game to new heights, leading or should i say willing his team to wins, TMAC is just going thru the motions just like what he did with the magic. And our Yao, well, he just add some scoring but still, no domination. Amare really deserved that ROY award and is clearly the better player. We have a bad system, an incompetent coaching staff. We need some changes. There should be changes. Major ones i may say. If not, goodbye play offs hello obscurity.
i dont see how we can make any major changes in our line-up unless by major changes u mean getting rid of Van Gundy...We dont really have any valuable trade commodities besides Yao and Tmac...Also, I think some of u may be right when u say that a lot of the passion is gone from this team...i thought that steve francis and cuttino brought a lot of passion and energy to the game and i dont think tmac has the same fire...i think we shud really focus this season on developing our "core" chemistry-aka TMAC and YAO while developing players such as Nachbar and Barrett while being on the constant lookout for sleepers possible trades that would greatly enhance the glaring holes at the 1 and 4...
One of my favorite Van Grumpy quotes: "I am so sick of that," Van Gundy said. "Has anyone ever watched a marathon? Those dudes sprint from the time the race starts until the time it ends. Everyone says it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. No, it's both. And that's what the marathon runners do. They sprint. They go out as fast as they can and in the last five miles, go faster."
What's bothering me is why do we have all these negative threads after a loss, but no positive threads after a W, like we will be good after a win. we don't need to hate jvg, yao, or t-mac we need to support them becuase they are part of rockets. i know after reading this yall going to give me more negative remarks about rockets but rather than looking at the negatives look at the positive like we are not getting blown out, and its just matter of time when we actually close out the games with a W.
I understand it is a long season, but how long are we willing to wait? Obviously, more than 14 games, but are we seeing any improvement. Yes, are schedule is tough, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be improving. Our record is bad, but it doesn't show that we are struggling in almost all aspects of the game. Does JVG know anything about marathons? I've ran multiple marathons and its not like that at all. Sprint? Maybe at the end. But just those guys seem like they are running fast, they aren't sprinting. But thats beside the point. Go Rockets!!
Our offensive woes mainly have to do with the system and pg. AB is showing his pg abilities, Sura will come back and improve the position, and there is still time to improve the system. Our bench played with passion and got us back into the game. We missed some wide open shots that could've made the game competitive. We actually played a game with Yao out (I consider his impact nonexistent this game). Also, give Utah credit they were hitting jumpers with a hand in their faces. They are just a tough team to beat when on. Still we hold them to 40 points in the last two quarters. The game is a downer mainly because it exposed all the hidden woes on this team. The system, the pg, the pf, the early fouls on Yao ... they need to be fixed but the situation is not desperate. Every team goes through games in which they were exposed. Look at the Lakers last year against the Pistons and you know what I mean, still, the Lakers were a damn good team.
This team definitely has some problems, and it's definitely not just limited to lack of chemistry. Not playing with any intensity whatsoever has nothing to do with not having chemistry yet or needing time to gel. All the chemsitry in the world is not going to make any difference if the players look like zombies on the court.
That's significant, because on the average in the NBA, the home team wins something like 70% of the time. Ooh, after a very tough opening schedule, we're TWO WHOLE GAMES under .500 -- time to panic! You people predicting doom are so lame. Out of our new 13 games, 11 of them are at home. We'll be well over .500 at that point. More than the record, I'm concerned by the inconsistancy, especially Yao's. Somebody needs to get into the big fella's head and get him to realize that this is the NBA -- you need to put forth a strong effort EVERY night, not just some of the time.
Normally, you're likely right. But with so many teams in the NBA and the same # of playoff spots, and with such an abundance of talent in the Western Conference, it is very very hard to overlook a bad start. Look, both sides of the argument are right here. But the most important thing should be the end goal, winning a championship each and every year. A championship team may be able to do that on the road. Certainly, the Pistons this year could potentially come in as a #5 or #6 seed in the East (not that it would happen) and still make the finals. The Rockets CAN NOT. So, as a fan, you realize that getting home court advantage at this point in the season is going to be very very very hard without putting together multiple streaks (5-6 wins, a loss, 4 wins, a loss, 8 wins, a loss, etc.). I understand the TMac trade was about long-term success. But I want short-term success as well, and don't want to have to throw away an entire season, end up just making the playoffs as a #6-#8 seed (and a #6 seed this year could be only 2 games different from a #9 team), and losing a 5 or 6 game first round series. So, the question is, how long do you give them? If they are significantly above .500 after December, then they will be doing fine. At some point, though, they actually have to start putting together those streaks to get there.
With 11 of the next 13 at home, this will be their first extended chance to work on some things. If they're not a couple of games over .500 at the end of that part of the schedule, I'd be pretty worried. These guys have been on the road more often than not since preseason began.
Jeff I agree with your point of its too early to jump off the cliff. But as much as I'd like to be patient, you have to question the direction the team has taken with CD and JVG. They have taken a young team and made it an OLD team. Almost overnight. I also question the logic of making this team revolve around Yao. I don't dislike the guy, I think he has great potential, I like the way he sees the game. But you have to agree he's not ready to be the man yet. Why would you take a top 5 guy in the league and make him stifle his game to play with Yao. Make Yao play with McGrady. When Yao proves he can handle being the main man on the team, give it to him. Right now he's way to inconsistent to make the team play around him. Part of the reason the offense suffers is because they predicate their offense around him and he's in foul trouble most games. If he can't give them consistent minutes he throws the whole team out of whack. Also I'm beginning to believe that Boki needs some more consistent minutes to show what he can do. If your not going to play to win now, give the young guys some consistent playing time to prove whether he can or can't play. Right now, it appears that whatever mistake he makes, he's immediately pulled from the game. I thought yesterdays game was a great example of your getting killed, he helps get you back in the game with his hustle and he shows some assertiveness for a change, he misses a 3 and you pull him. If your not going to play to win now then play the young guys, what the use in playing Howard and Ward if winning isn't your main goal. You can't have it both ways, play for later or play for now.
I knew I should have saved all my previous posts about give this team more time. I am tired of writing th e same thing after every bad game. I am expecting .500 for the first 30 games. I'll be happy with anything more than that. I am expecting 49 wins for the season. I'll be dissapointd with anything less. We lost to the Kings and the Floppers, big deal. Actually, at this point in our season, I feel the chance of us beating Bobcats is the same as beating Spurs. Not many teams in teh league can claim that.
I agree with you that we need to stay patient and not over react after every loss. But what exactly have you seen so far that makes you think we can go like 34-18 ove our final 50 games or so. Its clear to me that our PFs can rebound, we have no consistent 3 point shooting, outside of TMac we have noone that can create for others, and our defense is not the same as it was last year. I do think Yao will become more consistent and T-Mac will start to score more and shoot better (hopefully) but i just dont see this team winning 49 or 50 games. Hopefully I am wrong.
