(Fox Sports) Rockets among most likely to implode

I wouldn't say we're most likely to implode, but a lot of our season hinges on the health of our players. We can't afford to lose one of our core (yao, tracy, artest), and hope to contend for the championship.

 

No different than any other team.

 

I'd say we could survice a regular season and get into the playoffs without one of them. Having just two healthy during the post season would sure help. Having all three would, of course, be the optimum situation.

Health is a real concern for this team. Just check out the game thread and see where people are spazzing out when Yao went off the court. All while McGrady is limping around, Battier is not playing along with Francis.

The team can do just fine wiht minor injuries it would seem. The season is long. As long as they can be healthy AND in game-shape come post-season, that's all I really care about at this point.

 

Except that our stars are injury-prone.

 

Our three best players are all highly injury prone. There's no way around it.

 

Who cares what they think. They'll be riding the Rocket's jocks in a few months when things go well (hopefully).

They have just about every right to mention our ailing (health) players. BUT, last year they did something amazing.....came with in 2 games of best team in the west with Yao and TMAC missing extensive pt.

 

I agree.

However, I wouldn't use the word implode. I reserve that term for teams that fail due to some sort of inner turmoil, either in the locker room or on the court. It seems like a lot of journalists are basing so much success on Artest behaving himself, but that's just a piece of the puzzle. Ron is one hell of a luxury, but we don't need him in order to win. This same group of guys won 55 games last season, including 22 in a row, while enduring the loss of Yao Ming. The main reason for that success was the development of a culture of chemistry and closeness rarely seen in the NBA.

It will take a lot more than a couple of injuries or a disgruntled player for this team to implode. They're way better than that.

 

Games played in 07-08:

Tracy McGrady - 66 games

Yao Ming - 55 games

Carl Landry - 42 games

Team record: 15-17 (01/02/08)


Rick Adelman's 1st Season, Lineup disarray....


Final Record: 55-27 (4th best in the west) , 2 games out of 1st place

Losses to Jazz in 6 games (no Yao Ming, Rafer for 4 games, and less than 100% T-Mac)

Acquired: Brent Barry, Ron Artest


Some people just don't get it, do they that.

 

I don't understand what point you are trying to prove. Are you arguing that we could implode because of injuries or not?

 

Artest could become a born again christian and they would say that Christianity would most likely implode.

 

I don't know.

Ron Artest is a volatile personality, but Christianity has been around over 2000 years and has billions of loyal followers. It seems to have pretty strong roots. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, though.

Never say never. Right?

 

He's saying that they were extremely successful last year despite some pretty significant injuries to key players. In other words, he's saying that it'll probably take a lot for this team to implode if they didn't last year.

 

How can you blame him when we haven't had a season without Yao or TMac missing significant time since they were aquired? Add to it the fact that it's been longer than that since we've won a playoff series.

Did anyone throw up in their mouth a little last night when Yao pulled up lame after that rebound? I sure did.

Although I agree that 'implode' is too strong a word.

 

But still, I think if either Yao, Tracy, or Ron goes down in the playoffs, we have no shot at a championship.

Considering they each always play about a third of a season, I think it is not out of the question that one of them could be hurt during the postseason.

Implode is a stupid word. At the same time, I completely understand why no one wants to put us as the favorite in the West: Injuries and the fact we've never been past the first round. It may sound redundant, but it is simply true.

 

I can say the same thing for the following:


Los Angeles Lakers: Gasol, Odom, and/or Bynum.

Phoenix Suns: Amare Stoudemire

San Antonio: Manu Ginobili



Notice a number of those players have something in common, except maybe Ginobili.

 

I added a couple!

 

They're black or Euro?

But seriously, I can't wait for the regular season to begin so that we can stop responding to the beat writers' preseason gloom and doom.....

 

See Hayesfan's post...take a good look at all of the players and you will see pattern.

 

If Tmac or Yao can stay healthy, we can shake the 'injury label'... but past performance is the best indicator of future performance - it is what it is.