I am very excited about those three playing together. Add Mo and possibly Cato then this could be a really good and scary team.
The difference between Horny and Mobes. Horny was never more than a second or third option, the Cat has been the goto guy for the Rockets. I mean, even Mo Pete and A. Williams put up some pretty good numbers in Barney Land, but that is with defenses focusing on VC. And let's not forget the sharp drop-off in Quittens numbers first from the Jordan Bulls to the aging Rockets, and then to the Jailblazers where he was asked to be "the man" once in a while. Horny is definately an opportunistic player, but if he were the go-to guy on a team, that team would be in deep trouble. Put one defender in his face and his game is nullified.
Originally Posted By Swopa Oh ... my ... god. OK, the following is a terrorist threat: I'm going to give you roughly 12-15 hours to edit your post, or put a smiley after that sentence, or something. Bad Timing Swopa....very Bad Timing seeing what happened 12-15 hours after your post!
People are assuming that if you make the playoffs, that means you're championship quality, which is wrong. Most time the 7th or 8th seeds barely gets in and doesn't last long. Everyone assumes that Lakers are the only people we'll have to worry about which is wrong. Let's say Shaq wins 2 more and retires, that would throw the west up for grabs, but there are teams in the west the Rockets can't beat. Sac and Dallas are young teams also that have a strong nucleus that the Rockets have a hard time beating at all. Since we're assuming things, what if the clippers stay together, they have a better, more talented team than the Rockets. Even with changes, Portland has more talent and potential than the Rockets. For some reason everyone assumes only the Rockets will get better with time and the rest of the league will stop. Looking at the Rockets victories last year against the east, looking at the upgrades some of those teams made, it easy to say that the Rockets will not have nearly that kind of record this year. I'm a huge Rockets fan, but the loss of Hakeem will hurt more than people think.
People are assuming that if you make the playoffs, that means you're championship quality, which is wrong. Actually, I've read threads all summer, and it's the opposite. Almost everyone assumes that we'll be first round fodder for some dominant team like the Lakers or Kings. 6-8 seeds have a chance to win, and if you get past that first round, anything really can happen. The percentage of 6-8 seeds winning may not be too great, but there have been a lot that have played competitively. Since we're assuming things, what if the clippers stay together, they have a better, more talented team than the Rockets. I'll take a nucleus of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Eddie Griffin, Mo Taylor, and Glen Rice way before Elton Brand, Lamar Odom, Darius Miles, and Keyon Dooling. Even with changes, Portland has more talent and potential than the Rockets. Really? They might have have an edge in talent at center, with Dale Davis over Cato, but that's about it. At power forward Eddie Griffin has as much talent and potential as Wallace, and he's less of a threat to leave games. At small forward Glen Rice is already better than Quitten, and probably has more years left. Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley are miles ahead of Damon Stoudamire and Derek Anderson. You say depth? Well, the Blazers don't have us beat my much there either. Yes, they have a couple more big men in Shawn Kemp and Zach Randolph. We have Mo Taylor (after this year, using the potential analogy of course) and Kenny Thomas. Advantage Rockets. They have a rapist as a backup swingman. We have two talented young players in Dan Langhi and Terence Morris. By talent, advantage Rockets. At backup point, they have an unproven player in Erick Barkley who wasn't even that special in college. We have Moochie Norris, one of the best 6th men in the league. Advantage Rockets. Where is this extra talent and potential they have? I don't see it. Looking at the Rockets victories last year against the east, looking at the upgrades some of those teams made, it easy to say that the Rockets will not have nearly that kind of record this year. Such as who? Philadelphia is the samr or worse. Milwaukee is the same or worse. Toronto may be better, but we blew them out twice without Hakeem on our team. I don't think Hakeem playing for Toronto, if he's lucky enough not to be injured, will make the difference for them. New York is roughly the same. Miami is worse. Indiana is about the same. Atlanta is better, but that's the only real evidence you have to support that claim. I don't see the Hawks being good enough to beat the Rockets. The Celtics may have gotten better in talent with rookies, but I'm assuming you don't put much stock in them, since you don't think we've improved much. Aren't some of you the same guys who said the Spurs were falling off? Didn't some of you agree with me on the Mavs? Remember the Suns? Western conference teams are getting worse too, and I'd say it's just as likely for the Rockets to win a few more games against the West as it is for them to lose a few more games against the East. We should come up with a bet for those who don't think the Rockets will be improved next season... I will take it anytime.
