Am I the only one who thinks Yao can improve significantly over the offseason. We can make all the changes we want, but Yao has to be the man that takes us to the playoffs next year and championships in future years. He and Duncan will be the two key dominant big men in the game in a few years, and that's how you win championships.
Its pretty significant to have two key players returning after missing entire seasons with injury. Niether MoT or Rice helped until well after mid-season. Yao was a tremendous addition..but his inconsistency down the stretch killed the Rockets chance for the playoffs.The Rockets only needed one more win..heres Yao in our last seven losses. Including the one point loss to the Kings. shots made..Shots attempted..Opponent 4..................12.........against Kings 3..................13.........against Lakers 1....................9.........against Spurs 8...................11........against Nets 4....................8.........against Bucks 2...................13........against Blazers 3.....................9........against Jazz Our hope for improvement next season is that Yao will be more experienced and more consistent..and that our rotation will be set long before mid season. Our starters that ended the season last year only played 37 games together..
well, that makes me think, if yao doesnt play good, if he wont hit his shots, the rocs have a much greater chance of losing the game. he is really the turn-around for us and eventhough we missed the play-offs by just a mere game, i still am happy for the rocs improvement. imagine bringin a guy who isnt used to american-style basketball, whose culture is very different from us but still gave us a 15-game improvement from last season? i see good things with yao on the rocs in the near future!
We don't need somebody to "fall off", we just need to win 48-50 games, which we could have done easily this year if you can stop just SOME of the pitiful losses to clearly inferior teams. (miami, Cle, atl, den, ny, Wa, Clips, etc)
And what exactly makes you think this won't happen again next year? The Rockets have been giving up games to inferior teams since the championship days. Hell, it was a loss to the Clippers(you know, the ones who finished 17-65) that prompted the Drexler trade. This is clearly just as much of a coaching issue as it is a player one. Bottom line, if at the very least there aren't significant changes made to either the coaching staff or the roster, next year's results will be no better than this season. If anything, they could end up with fewer wins. Keep in mind, the Rockets had no major injuries this season outside of Glen Rice. Yao Ming played well above anybody's expectations. And they had a much easier schedule than many of the other Western Conference playoff contenders. If you don't believe me, check out how many teams had to play in H-Town AFTER getting pummeled by Dallas and/or San Antonio. And yet with all of these factors in the Rockets' favor, they still collapsed down the stretch and failed to make the postseason once again. So what happens next year if one or more of these things don't go right for the team? What if one of the key players has a stint on the injured list? What happens when the NBA inevitably hands them a tougher schedule? What if Yao doesn't develop in his second season? And how will a team that folded against Portland and Utah in back-to-back disasters handle the added pressure of Rudy's ass being on the hot seat, the players(particularly Steve Francis) being under even more intense scrutiny for their selfish, boring, and lackluster performance, and the extra 2,000 seats they suddenly have to fill in their new arena when they couldn't even sell out the Compaq Center last year? I envy anyone who actually feels optimistic about this team's prospects next season should they forgo any major changes to management or personnel. Although I'd really like to know what this organization has shown you over the past 6 seasons to inspire such confidence.
Dough-ku, before you get all worked up and start writin up a whole big mess of indignation, read my sig. I think the Rockets need change as much as the next person. However, I don't think that its outside the realm of possibility that the same team could make the playoffs next season, they only missed it by a game this season, you know. But I, just like you, would rather not risk wasting another season to see if that would come true.
I've lived in several cities and I have to say, for a major city newspaper, the Chronicle, in most of its aspects, is a complete disgrace in most of its coverage other than High school sports, maybe.
I would trust what Doc Rocket says over Feigan any day of the week. I have lost a lot of respect for Feigan this season esp with some of the garbage articles he kept writing acting like everything is ok. I am glad Doc Rocket posted in the Nachbar thread that the Rockets will be looking at some serious changes this summer. That one post gives me a lot of hope for next season. I will say one thing; if the Rockets stand a pat hand, they will NOT make the playoffs next season. Be ready for Lotto #5 if they stand pat.
I want change. But even if there is none......we have a good team. Yao Griffin Posey hopefully Mobley Francis Cato Taylor Nachbar Morris Now Yao is developing well......the coaches just need to develop a true offensive system and have more ball movement.....not last in assists...and field goal percentage.....and get more consistency. AND GRIFFIN AND NACHBAR HAVE TO EMERGE....if not this year......next year. UGH. Griffin needs a brain check.
