[NBA Yahoo! Sports][Ball dont lie]MOREY: We are at no. 4

Pacers? No way, they only won 4 more games than the Rockets last year. Dwight Howard is a WAY bigger improvement than Scola/Granger.

 

Miami and OKC both are clearly better than the Rockets. San Antonio is probably better than the Rockets, assumming that the wheels don't finally come off.......... after that, there is a group of 5-6 teams that could be better than us if everything goes right.

Grizzlies, Bulls, Nets, Clippers, Warriors and Pacers all are on the bubble.

If I had to guess, we are the 5-6th best team in the NBA this season, but are built better for the post season.

 

Come on man, at least read the article before you post it.

 

Im not so sure about OKC, they are who they are by this point. They're a team powered by just two perimeter players, with Perkins regressing every year and Ibaka failing to improve. Theyre still good, but I think we made a huge stride to close th gap this season, and Id certainly rank the beefed up clips over them.

 

That's pessimistic. IMO Morey is covering his own ass since the pressure is seriously on this time. This team may not finish with a top 3 record because it will take time to get used to each other, but by the time the playoffs arrive we should be the 2nd or 3rd best team in the league. Our record in the final 20-30 games should reflect that.

 

This. Just about every championship team has had to first stub its toe deep in the playoffs, sometimes multiple times. Especially with the Rockets inexperience (not only in the starting core but the coaching staff), you can't expect them to magically go deep in the playoffs and pull out the close ones.

 

Talent wise on paper the Rockets have 2 top ten talents. But the expectation after they play together is that they will have two top Five talents.

Until they play, it will all be speculative. Howard could not play with Nash, Kobe, and Gasol.

So until they win and are cohesive as a group, we are looking at least at a #6 seed. And at best the top seed in the NBA. Too many variables without having played one NBA Rockets minute of basketball.

We are fans, and supposed to be optimistic. But Las Vegas odds makers look at this from a professional analysis. Can the Rockets show synergy? If they can then the race just became a three horse race. Miami, Oklahoma, and the Rockets based on talent alone.

San Antonio and Indiana are two top teams based on how well they play as a unit, more so than elite talent they have. Two team the Rockets can learn to play like.

 

I think a more important question is -- when did Kelly start looking like Robert De Niro?

 

Truth is, we don't know how good we are until the games start. Lakers were #1 on paper this time last year, and we all saw how that turned out for them. On paper is different from reality.

 

I had us at 8 or 9. I feel like our roster is far (maybe not THAT far) from being a clear-cut contender for a championship.

The teams I put ahead of us were MIA, OKC, SAS, IND, CHI, BKN, LAC. I also had MEM since I feel like they have an incredibly imposing roster with their front court where they would be able to excel in the regular season. I said this before, I would be surprised if we were the 1st seed in the west and like-wise if we were the 6th. I think the top 6 won't be separated by much.

 

I basically agree with Morey. OKC and Miami are better than us. SA would also be better health permitting. But I can't see any other team that is definitively above us. Obviously when the seasons play out some teams will be better than expected and some teams worse. But overall that's where we are.

However, in terms of playoff chances, we have the huge advantage of being able to upgrade very easily. If a player suddenly becomes available at the deadline, which team has the assets and money to pick up this player? Clippers, Pacers, Knicks, Warriors, Nets are all short on 1st round picks and other young assets. OKC, Chicago, Miami, Memphis are all too close to their self-imposed spending caps. Which leaves us and SA. And we have more trade chip in Asik(whether directly or indirectly in a 3-team trade).

And even if we assume the Rockets stay put, the fact that Asik will keep Howard fresh for the playoffs will certainly help.

 

Adrian Woj is still best in the biz.

but their Yahoo Contributor Network and their NBC Sports linked articles are lacking.