Roundtable discussion w/ some ESPN analysts on the Western conference. Here's the Rockets related talk: ESPN
we're a dangerous group every year COMING into the season. but will we stay healthy? if we do, i don't think anyone doubts that. but we're usually not.
as we were last year this team with Yao and Mac healthly is really dangerous and can even think about title...but first of all we gotta stay healthly...
It would probably help T-Mac and Yao to stay healthy if the team could add another reliable scorer to take some pressure off them I like Portland but I have to admit I'm skeptical as to how good they'll really be just because it seems like they've become the new Team of the Future, which usually means they'll have a couple of excellent seasons before imploding.
I predict LA to be the 1 seed next year with 63 wins. Rockets will be #2 at 60 (a franchise best?). New Orleans will be 3 and Utah will round out the top 4. Portland will make the playoffs and Dallas will not.
exactly. the first thing to keeping them healthy is cutting the minutes down. i wan't them playing closer to 30 than 40. however, the team can't win that way because there would be no size or scoring.
this was a very nice read, but... again, i wish we were low profile. i thought we got way to hyped up and then to get disappointed twice during 1 season. ( the aftermath of the 6-1 start, and yao's injury) i thought it was interesting that many writers actually think we'll be the suprized team, hopefully they are right. though to win the west, the only team i'm realy realy scared of is the lakers. they too are missing their center, which moves gasol (a 7 footer) to the pf and odom to the sf and then kobe to the sg. that is a big BIG lineup. i would love to see how we match up against that. it'd be interesting.
The good news is Adelman and his staff will feel more confident limiting Yao's minutes now that Scola and Landry(and Harris to a lesser extent) have established themselves as solid rotation players. Remember that Yao had to log a ton of time in the first half of the season in part because Hayes was still starting and Scola had a limited role off the bench. Landry didn't sniff any playing time til '08 rolled around. And of course Harris wasn't even around til Yao went down. The other reason Yao had to play a lot of minutes was T-Mac's knee injury. Hopefully T-Mac doesn't miss 16 games next season.
At full strength, I believe the Rockets are a better team than the Lakers. Dallas and Phoenix have collectively shot away their chances at title, Our window is about to open a little wider for the next few years then it might close if Yao can't stay healthy.
<b>We have to sign Udrih at PG, Mike Miller at SG, and Turiaf at C. </b> Just these three signings will give us incredible depth if we refuse to part with Landry or Scola. Add in another rookie, get rid of Head, Hayes, Francis (sorry buddy, we love ya), and Bobby Jackson. Do these moves, and BAM, legitimate championship contender.
Morey is going to save the day. The coaches and management know that this team needs to limit both stars' minutes. They also know to do that and keep winning some offensive talent needs to be added. The way Morey keeps saying that the team will be improved via trades makes me think he has something up his sleeve to get this squad a very good player or two and get rid of some of the dead weight. Dude has skills.
Great if we can get these guys but i think the Kings will offer Uldrih a high contract for us to match
I recommend people to check the link, the most interesting topic they discuss is whether the Spurs/Suns/Mavs dominance in the West is over and will be replaced by the Lakers/Jazz/Hornets.
