Oh no Scoop Jackson picked us to finish #1 overall. Thank goodness that was offset by Tim Legler picking us for 12th. I guess we're back where we started in the ESPN idiot experts' karma department.
Health issues can happen to any team. And to a Rocket fan, it may seem like we shouldn't finish worse than 5th in the conference. But then, last year, before the year started, we were all thinking 2nd round playoffs at a minimum. And the health issues happened to us...not so much other teams. And when they did happen to other teams (Amare, Duncan) those teams still had enough firepower to have "successful" seasons. I'm optmistic every year in the sense that if they don't win the championship I am dissapointed. I also try to be realistic though. And that part of me knows we haven't been ranked higher than 6th but once in what, 8, 9 years...haven't won a playoff series in a decade...something like that. So I can't really get angry with ESPN guys who think it may be stretching it to assume we'll all of a sudden be healthy, deep, balanced team making a push for a top 4 seeding and a Finals ring.
I guess Tim Legler flip-flopped after watching us roll over Miami. Pretty common for analysts on ESPN. I want T-Mac to prove all the haters wrong. He needs to take better shots and try to stay away from the 3 pt line. His mid-range game seems fine so those are the shots he should take most. Were 6 days away.
Wow, I'm a little shaken. I was really confident about this season, but if Scoop Jackson is our biggest supporter...we're so f*cked.
Y'know, Legler is actually often a Rockets supporter. I remember him always pumping up the Rockets last year. He's always talking about our potential.
Pretty crappy predictions. It's possible Legler wrote this before last night. Last night might have been his first good look at a lot of our 'new' guys. In addition, I wonder where these guys were picking us before the season last year. We might have burned them pretty bad.
actually outside of ric bucher the only person on that list that probably watches a good amount of basketball teams play is scoop jackson. the other guys watch only the big 4-5 play and then base their "expert opinion" on things they read or hear. for example look at legler who placed the rockets at #5 in the division behind memphis, who already has a major injury, and the unproven hornets. he selected the rockets to be 12th overall. then last night legler claims that the rockets are a darkhorse to win it all let alone playoffs. last night probably was the first time he had seen this rocket team play and he saw how they handled the heat. (i dont mean the bench vs bench, but when our starters and their starters were playing) and then realized wait head, howard and bonzi have yet to play. he probably realized how wrong he was on this team and flip flopped. ask these same people again mid season and you see them writing sometihng different.
A 5th or 6th seed in the conference and 3rd best in Division ranking is fair at the moment. Spurs and Mavs won a ton of games last year so it's hard to put any other team ahead of them in the division before another game has been played. Two other seeds in the top 4 will be the division champs of Pacific and Northwest. So, if the Rockets don't beat out either of the 60 win teams, they are 5th at best. So, stop being childish about these rankings. The Rockets need to come out and prove it. However, what's Chris Sheridan talking about? Yao Ming publicly complaining about Van Gundy? Who gave him the idea that Yao would ever publicly complain about anybody?
Legler must be joking when he predicted that the rox will finish 12th in the conference. The other nba analyst predicted that rox will finish 3rd in the division and 6th in the west. I think they can finish higher than 6th place though.
Hey you know whats worse: Homepage Shows: Wish Upon A Star Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Steve Nash The spotlight will fall on Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Steve Nash. When you wish upon an NBA star ... makes no difference who you are ... the title your heart desires ... may come to you. Will your dream come true this season? Our NBA experts deliver their forecasts. • Key West teams: Clippers | Hornets | Lakers | Mavs | Spurs | Suns • Key East teams: Bulls | Cavs | Heat | Pacers | Pistons | Wizards Look at that I undestand Rockets get little respect but: Lakers, Hornets, Clippers, Pacers, Wizards all are more Key this year than Rockets, GIVE ME A BREAK!
I can't start a threat, but did anyone read Charley Rosen's article on the Southwest Division. You can read the article here: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6067742 But here's what he said about the Rockets: Houston Rockets The guards: Rafer Alston has a career FG percentage of .387, as well as a penchant for thinking more like a scorer than a playmaker. If Bob Sura ever regains his health, his courage and unselfishness will make a huge difference. John Lucas isn't ready to assume control of a high-powered offense. Luther Head and Kirk Snyder shoot first and never ask questions. Tracy McGrady can literally do it all — shoot, score, pass, run, rebound and even defend — except stay healthy. Unless T-Mac can operate at top efficiency for at least 70-75 games, then the Rockets will barely squeeze into the playoffs. The forwards: Juwan Howard puts up numbers but can't pass, defend or produce in critical situations. Bonzi Wells is a monster both in the pivot and along the right baseline — but he's also been the source of disharmony everywhere he's played (Houston is his fourth stop in the last four years). Shane Battier is a winner, but Houston will be a loser if Battier doesn't play 30-plus minutes. Indeed, look for Battier to eventually supplant Howard's time at the power-forward spot. The centers: Yao Ming sports the most notable toe since the salad days of Lou Groza. Can the big man's sore digit survive the rigors of the season? Will Yao ever become an aggressive, durable, monster of the midway? Dikembe Mutombo is Zaire's version of Old Man River. Outlook: With Alston, T-Mac and Wells all needing their ball time, where does that leave Yao? Also, the Rockets' hopes will ultimately be sabotaged by the divisive antics of Wells, as well as the self-serving excuses routinely offered by Jeff Van Gundy. Houston is a very dangerous team, capable of beating any of the NBA's best at any time — yet the talent isn't balanced, and the team has too many emotional hot spots. If anybody can save this team, it'll be Battier. I wonder what these writers are talking about...ESPN, Fox Sports, whatever...they're all so negative about the Rockets, I can't wait for all these writers to eat crow at the end of the year.
Both ESPN and Rosen figure Juwan Howard is the starting 4 due to seniority. Obviously, they haven't watched the preseason games or read what JVG said.
On another note -- not sure if posted elsewhere and since cannot start posts will include this link The Ford Rookie Report: Novak a Sleeper Chad Ford rates the rookies. Notably Gay (the Good) Rudy Gay, F, Grizzlies Pau Gasol's injury in the World Championship was devastating to the Grizzlies but good for getting Gay's career going. Without Gasol, the Grizzlies will look for Gay to give them scoring punch. After a lackluster sophomore season at UConn, Gay's performance in the summer league and preseason seem to indicate that he might live up to his limitless potential. Novak (a Sleeper) Steve Novak, F, Rockets Novak is pretty one-dimensional, but he's been a red-hot shooter in the preseason from just about anywhere on the floor. With Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady commanding double teams all year, this second-round pick could end up having a bigger year than Redick. See link for more including our number one choice being seen as the better of all the rooks out. (Brandon Roy)
i don't know about you guys, but imho, i am worried about injuries. they killed us last year, and i think it's perfectly reasonable to be worried about them this year. We have a big man, who before last season didn't miss any games - but has recently been having foot problems -very bad for a big man- and a superstar who's having back problems. My fingers are crossed, and healthy, we are capable of being dominant, but with a few key injuries, although we will be able to sustain better this year, would still be somewhat crippling, especially to t-mac or yao. I think the rankings were pretty fair, considering we do have question marks with health.
