According to Hollinger, the Rockets have a 17.8% chance. That's not bad, and I think it considers only performance to date (including the games with Landry but without Martin.) So if in one's opinion the Rockets improved at the deadline (imo they improved) then it's actually more like a 25-30% chance of making the playoffs. If the Rockets are a 6-1 dog at advancing past the Lakers, that would mean that right now we have between a 4-5% chance of advancing through to the second round. That's not a big chance, but stranger things have happened.
Either San Antonio or Portland. More likely San Antonio because of the game on 3/31 (see my post above). We can hold the tiebreaker with San Antonio if we win on 3/31 (and win the games we should until then). The thought of bumping the Spurs to the 9th spot heading into April on their home court makes me giggle.
I think it comes down to what benefits the rockets the most, and IMO we benefit more by not making the playoffs and going into the lottery, just because of the high talented big men available in this years lottery..... (Whiteside, Monroe, Aldrich, Montiejunas, etc ) Monroe 6'11 PF/C <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vnMEmDeteMc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vnMEmDeteMc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Aldrich 6'11 C <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZOy-j5eoJ20&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZOy-j5eoJ20&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> IMO its more beneficial for the rockets to get a lottery pick than making the playoffs, It allow's us to do more maneuvering during the off-season...... --RB
The rockets are 30-29 now. 23 games left. They probably needs 46 - 47 games to make the playoffs. It means the rockets have to win 16 - 17 games. It's difficult, but possible. The rockets' remaining schedule is quite easy.
Extended season = more fun. Plus winning is a good habit. Will I be terribly disappointed if we miss the playoffs this year? No. But I still care.
i would like to get to the playoffs. if we get the 8 we face the lakers... we know were not going to win but then everyone who wasnt part of the rockets last year would get the expeirence against the lakers for next year when we actually take things seirioucly with yao.
of coarse i care about making it to the playoffs.. now that yao is the only one thats out we can actually give whoever we play in the first round a run for their money.. i wanna see how far we can get this season.. worry about next season when it comes
I care about the playoffs, because the players I pull for each and every night are busting their butts to make it.
Maybe if the team had enough talent they would it have to bust their butts to make it.How does busting our butts to make the playoffs make us a championship team?It takes alot of talent to win championships.
It would be great if we made the playoffs. It's a fun atmosphere, and anything can happen. But without Yao we don't stand a chance anyway. The NBA probably will belong to the Lakers for the next few years.
I'm sorry... but this is getting ridiculous. None of us here have a good handle on "what it takes to win an NBA championship". Let's start there. Can we all agree on that? I think we CAN agree that a similarity among all NBA Championship teams is this: their players play their butts off. They go 110% all the time, and for at least that stretch of the season, they don't know how to do it any other way. Those two things being said... why in the world why would we want our team to imitate teams like the Nets, the Grizzlies, the TWolves, the Clippers... literally the bottom dwellers of the league... in order to be MORE LIKELY to win a Championship? Wouldn't we want any player that wears a Rockets uniform to exhibit characteristics of an NBA champion? Am I crazy? AM I NUTS FOR THINKING THIS? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Moreover, wouldn't you be proad of an NBA franchise that honestly never "dumped" on it's fanbase? A franchise that literally always tried it's best from the GM down to the pine-dwellers to win every game they could with what they had on the floor on that given night, in order to in the end capture the ultimate prize of a Larry O'Brien trophy? Even if that team went years, even decades without a championship - that would be a team I'd be proud to root for, to support. Just ask a Knicks fan if they think tanking the second half of a season to pick up a high lottery pick is a good idea. They should know, their team has basically been tanking (read: "rebuilding") for the last 6-8 years. The whole tanking to get a high pick only works with 'once-in-a-generation' players like LeBron, or Kobe. And even then, the Cavs may prove that even when you do pick up the best player on the planet, you don't win championships (I think they'd lose to the Lakers in a 7-game series right now). Bottom line: there is value in the process of pursuing an championship. imitating losing franchises is a good way to become... a losing franchise. In Morey we trust. (if I don't get +rep for this post... Clutch is gonna drop kick everyone here in the forehead.)
Having to endure so much agony this year, I'd much prefer that we get a great draft pick for the future.
You are compering apples to oranges.did we become the Clippers when we got Horry in 92 lottery?.or in 02 with yao?
Life is meaningless if you don't have a goal. Accordingly, the remaining 23 games would be meaningless if we don't have a goal. I think all rockets fans should root the team for the playoffs. Basketball is a competitive sport, and that is why fans like this game. Don't tell me that developing young players is our goal. In fact, young players can really develop only after they learn how to win games. btw, some rockets fans are spoiled. For many nba teams' fans, making the playoffs are their dreams.
I guess you didn't understand what I was getting at. I care about the playoffs, because I know the guys that I pull for care about it. I understand why some people say they want to tank, since it seems unlikely that we'll make the playoffs, and even if we do we'll most likely be eliminated in the first round, but I just can't think that way. I would love more than anything for this team just to make the playoffs, because our players bust their butt night in and night out to get there.
