(How much) Are we better than the 2009 Playoff (2nd Round) Team?

YES!!! They are better because they have twice as much talent and depth.

 

Frankly, I'm tired of thinking about what this team is *if healthy* or *on paper*. When has that done us any good? Invariably, this team will not be healthy. Invariably, this team will not be as good as they appear on paper. Let's just face it.

 

We're not better than that team with Yao during the portland series, if yao can only play 24 minutes.

We have no offencive liabilities on most spots(Cant really call shane a offencive liability as all he needs to do is pop the corner 3.)

But on defence we will get BURNED. No artest, battier is 2 years older and we have MARTIN/BROOKS backcourt, they will get stomped on. Luis isnt that great at defending either, so we're dependant on the 24 minute Yao to anchor our defence. We might do very well against the lesser teams in the NBA but teams with elite scorers will give us alot of trouble (eg: Martin will not be able to defend Kobe, and if you stick shane on Kobe, Artest will KILL Martin).

 

Need to add :

While Lee is a above avarage defender, he is no means a defensive stopper, or the offencive force martin is, so playing Lee more than Martin is not really viable.

Also our Bench bigs are mostly liabilities on defence, We have no Bigs that protects the paint outside of Yao (Lets face it-Hill isnt developed,Miller avarage but no means a shotblocker and is OLD). and Hayes is too undersized.

That said, we will be able to overpower alot of teams because of our depth and scoring ability, but Defense wins championships.

 

Ok, now THAT's just silly. Artest may have a good game now and then, and he had a good one for the Lakers in the finals - but he's the guy you want thinking he's gonna beat you.

The Rockets are going to be somewhere between 5th and 8th on defense - because they will care. Frankly, they gave up on defense last year because they knew that they were out of the playoffs once Lowry went down and we were down to one PG.

Defense is effort. Effort in practice and effort in games. If you think that this Rockets squad isn't going to put that effort in, you're crazy.

We already know that we're going to get guys in foul trouble. I wonder if that is going to impact the other team's offensive efficiency against us? JVG believed that a great defense is better than a great offense - I wonder if a great offense can actually help your defense? Opposing team foul trouble, plus made baskets helping you set up your D, plus the other team being tired from trying to defend you?

 

In situations like that Lowry, Lee, Hayes, Patterson, Hill and Yao would be effective. Our bench would basically win games like that for us. You have to understand, our bench will be the best in the league. Yes, better than Boston's and LA's! Having Lowry and Lee on our bench will be the key.

 

Last years team was better than it looked on paper. I've been watching the Rockets for 40 years, so I know that you can't always predict what will transpire during a season. I just sit back and enjoy the games.

 

On paper, the bench makes this team a contender. We will be able to match up better with any team.

 

Wow, are you giving up on the season before the first preseason game has even been played??

 

Right now Yao is not healthy. Until we prove we have a healthy Yao? I do not count him as much as last years. He is a situational backup almost like Landry was. So we basically have a Carl Ladnry type minutes situation with Yao and added Martin and Lee. Lost Ariza. Patrick Patterson and Budingers development not clear or Hills yet. We are better than last year most certainly but we dont know the extent of Yao we got back. So??
53 win team?
Yao/Hayes
Scola/Landry
Artest/Battier
Battier/Tmac(half a Tmac)
Aaron/Lowry

Vs

Yao(half)/Miller/Hill
Scola/Hayes/ Patterson
Battier/Budinger
Martin/Courtney Lee
Brooks/Lowry

Hmm?? More depth. Less at the center but more depth there. Less at the Pf but more depth there. Scola is better. Artest is better offensively and defensively but Budinger makes up on offense as a backup. Martin and Courtney Lee clearly better. Brooks and Lowry better than back then. I say its about even or slightly one way or the other depending on injuries. This team has the nod slightly for being together longer and some players being better in development and Yao the only one being worse. Thats a huge step back though in that one area.

Conclusion: Weaker West-Phoenix older and no Amare, Jazz no Boozer, San Antonio older, Lakers slightly older, Nash and Kidd getting upthere in age and Carmelo possibly headed East.

Rockets 52 to 56 wins depending on injuries.

 

40 years?? No wonder the handle! Just kidding, you rock, dude.

 

Yao Ming is the difference maker between those two teams.

 

Giving up? No. I just don't want to get my hopes up, because it happens every year and I'm almost always left disappointed in the end. I'd rather take the good as it comes, without anticipating it.

 

At this very moment, we're not healthy, and the season hasn't even started.

 

our back court is a bit better on offense, but as a whole our defense got worse

we've improved our depth, losing landry hurts, but adding bud and lee helps

we lose the toughness and defense artest gave us, so its a tossup imo.

 

Backup Center Job Wanted?



Pay Me Morey!

 

I'm not sure why you gave the 2009 Centers and advantage over the 2011 centers. For one, Deke was injured early into his second game and never even played the second round. Yao also played mediocre except in the first game of each season due to his actual injuries.

I'd take a mostly/partly recovered Yao and Healthy Brad Miller over injured Yao and no back up

 

Pretty much.

Countdown to somebody going down for an extended period of time starts as soon as the season does.