If T-mac is done for the season, so official is our finals aspiration

Maybe ...Maybe not...but I bet we can get out of the first round and anything can happen in the playoffs!

 

if we're healthy, i don't know.

if rafer, tmac and shane were healthy last yr, i would have bet anything we would have beaten the jazz even without yao. and that was on LESS talent.

we have much more talent this year. as long as we go in healthy, i'll be very optimistic.

 

like every season when someone goes down or in this case, Yao has got to dominate and be the go to guy again. everyone else just needs to step up their games and know their roles. and i think we'll be fine.

 

One could argue that with him we weren't going to make it. But one thing is for sure, without him, this season is not about a anything more than just having fun watching this team....but to expect playoff success this season is unfair to the guy because they simply don't have enough to knock off the elite teams.


Tmac had years and year with rockets, and still no second round playoffs. I disagree with you on "this season is not about a anything more than just having fun watching this team" To make it to the second round playoffs will be a big achivement. Its been what more then a decade since we made it to the second round.

 

Walk before you can run. Get out of the first round first and then worry about the next step.

Also, the bottom line is that the Rockets are better without McGrady. Regardless of where they end up they're in a better place without him.

 

without an injured mcgrady, you're right.

 

His refusal to cut without the ball or keep the ball moving had nothing to do with his physical health.

 

lol really? so his refusal to dunk and get blocked? his refusal to cut and his knee buckles?

u got your wish: tracy's done (probably for his career).

 

What do you guys think if this went down?T-Mac for B-Diddy + Camby and Ron+ Landry+ Head for V.Carter. It works on the trade checker.

Baron, Alston, Brooks
Carter, Von Wafer
Battier, VonWafer/Barry
Camby/Scola,Hayes
Yao, Camby, Deke

I really like this one. We completly kill all plans for 2010 though. Whatcha think?

 

Hey Piniella, sorry, just can't buy into your opinion.

This is why:

After all we've gone through this season so far, we're 5th in the WC.

I don't get it, don't care to get it, BUT extremely happy we're there.

Can you imagine what could happen with a stable lineup for the last 28 games?

I'm easily feeling the second round.

And I'm not all that worried about San Antonio and only somewhat concern about LA.

I LOVE our chances now!!!!

(honestly...I'm just thrilled to be positive considering this whole McGrady mess)

 

He wont be done for his career, especially that if he really does need this surgery, hes doing it now. But I don't expect us to reach the finals without a healthy and motivated McGrady. Lets see if Yao can lead us somewhere (T-Mac atleast led us to 55 wins at the end WITHOUT Artest).

 

Wrong. Landry in particular is pretty good at cutting to the basket. Brent Barry was born to play this offense.

T-Mac's a liability because he just does not fit the offense. He's got an old body, but what's worse is that he's got an old brain. He refuses to learn new tricks.

 

I'd be more confident in the team we have right now in the playoffs than the team with this years T-Mac. Its pretty evident we are much better (and have played much better) without him this season. Besides Wafer can hit some big shots and I don't think he is that big of a liability as people think, he guarded Paul Pierce pretty damn well in the 4th when we beat Boston.

 

speaking purely for myself -

i like the basketball the rockets play better without tracy. its more fun to watch, and they play as a team. i dont like the way the team plays with tracy. its evident they dont trust him and that he's not a part of the "team".

that said, i think they have a better chance of winning games without tracy.

even if they lose, i would rather root for the ROCKETS without tracy. at least i'll be watching good basketball, played by people who want to play.

so obviously you are right that in terms of talent, the rockets are worse when tracy is out. but in terms of being a good basketball team, i think they are better.

 

Our championship hopes were pretty much shot when T-Mac decided to punt this year by not rehabbing.

That being said, you don't win a championship one year after having missed the second round your last ten years. The only team that have come out of nowhere to win it are the Celtics. Everyone else has to make a foundation of playoff success at first before finally reaching the pinnacle years after they'd been knocking at the door. We haven't even pulled up to the driveway. This year is our chance to do that at the very least; get to the WCF, make some noise, and show people that with capable management a team led by Yao Ming CAN in fact win it all.