Next season, the Rockets will be anywhere from 6 to 8 in the playoff standings. They most likely will lose in the first round of the playoffs. Bryce Drew and Tony Massenberg will be gone. There is a 50/50 chance that W. Williams will be packaged in a trade while he still has some value. The Rockets will use one of their exemptions to pick up a quality blue collar big man, which they are sorely missing now, apologies to Pig Miller. They will be an athletic team with a bit more frontcourt presence. They will get a top 5 rookie who will be very good, but just outside of the running for ROY. They won't be nearly as good as the 2001-2002 season, when Olajuwon's money is freed up, and they can get a stud big man. They should still be exciting to watch, and a bit less turnover prone, with a year of experience under their belt. Steve Francis will be an All-Star. My predictions only hold true if the can keep Mobley, which is also 50/50 right now. If not, they will swing between the 8th and 9th seeds and might be a lottery team again in the dominant West ------------------
The Rockets playoff rank next year depends on this offseason. If they get Duncan then it's championship, if they get good draft picks then 6th-7th, if they let Mobes go then there is no playoffs. Just the idea of having Duncan with these guards is amazing. Plus Stevie rips up the league now and he is a rookie, after this offseason he'll be perfect. ------------------ THE DEAN
steve francis The Great is appearing nightly this week at the Arena Theatre. His other abilities include reading tea leaves and the ability to guess your height with nothing more than a measuring stick and your drivers licence. Don't miss it! ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com
It's just a prediction Jeff, cool down. Predictions are meant to be wrong, so I'll be lucky if half of them come true. Who knows, maybe the rox will get Tim Duncan and win 10 championships in a row. The fun is in getting your own take heard, and having a healthy debate. It's good for the soul. ------------------
"They most likely will lose in the first round of the playoffs." I've got a feeling you're one of those, glass is half empty guys. Why couldn't we get past the first round? Utah will not be a 2 or 3 seed next year. San Antonio will be a year older. Sacramento will be just as overrated with Jason "Wanna be like Mike" Williams shooting them out of contention. Seattle will still be fighting amongst themselves. Where does that leave the Rockets? Anywhere from a 4-7 seed. Sorry, but I just can't believe we are a first round goner. ------------------ The lottery sucks!
I'm with RocketsPimp: if this team stays together, you know the same one that has beaten Portland, Utah, etc. of late, then we're a 3 through 7. If the C is solidified we're closer to 3 than 7. ------------------
I agree with the optimists about next year. Although, I had told my friends that Houston would finish a .500 team this season. All of us on this board know that the Rockets are AT-LEAST that. If they can play with the consistency, not turnover the ball so often have as many defensive liabilities- this team will push further than the first round. p.s. if this team is "half-full" imagine what a glass "full" could do? ------------------
I really like the way this team is looking. I completely forgot about tony massenburg. he is a good banger down low, and he will be back next year. this means that we can either use him as a servicable reserve (something we have been lacking) or trade him for someone like danny fortson. this would help solidify our defense and front court presence. if we manage to keep cat, and get a good rookie in the draft then we have potential. then if all of the chemistry falls into place i can easily see this team making the playoffs. that is what the main goal should be for next year, we shouldn't be dreaming about finals yet, but playoffs sound real good right about now. ------------------
I think the rockets make the playoffs. The rockets need a difference maker at one of the forwards to succeed in the playoffs*. If Walt scores 20+pts per game, he could be this man. Kenny with 16pts, 10 rebs a game could be this man. Probably second round losers if they don't play LA or Duncan in the first rd. *Assumes Francis, Mobley, Anderson, and Moochie are in the backcourt. As good as they are, they won't be able to propel a team out of the first rd without some help. I also assume Hakeem is not healthy and Cato is th ecenter. ------------------ Moochie hear no evil Moochie speak no evil Moochie see no evil
The rox will need a really good big man in the draft to make it past the first round. Remember Phoenix in the past couple of years who were strong in guard play but didn't have enough frontcourt firepower. People who are so sure that the rox will make it to the second or third round forget how tough the Western conference really is. They probably would make it to the second round if they were in the East. Also, Cato has to play a lot better than he has this year to make it to the conference semis. I don't remember Minnesota making it past the first round even when they had Stephon Marbury and Kevin Garnett and Tom Gugliotta. There is no shame in losing in the first round in an era when by all rights, should have been a lottery team, just like most other post championship teams(Chicago,Boston,etc.) ------------------
