please explain that to me? at least you have the excitement of the playoffs and the "chance" to win. where as the other way your sitting with your thumb up your ass talking about draft pics in the low teens...yipee!
Really? A mediocre lottery season and a late lottery draft pick is better than going to the playoffs and getting a shot at the title? That's just silly. If that were true the Houston Texans would be the most successful franchise in the NFL. You're telling me you'd rather be the 8-8 Texans or the New Orleans Saints than, say, the Steelers or the Chargers - who obviously have a shot in the playoffs but are, in all likelihood, going to get destroyed at some point by what might be the greatest team in the history of football.
Reality-this team grasps Rick Adelman system better than when Tracie is on the floor. Reality-Yao is the leader of this Rockets team. Perception- Tracie is a superstar. Perception- We cannot get equal trade value for Tracie.
I wouldn’t say its better, but there certainly isn’t that much difference between a lottery team and a team that perennially loses in the first round of the playoffs. Mediocre is mediocre. Perhaps if we’re talking about a young team like Golden State, I could see how losing in the first round of the playoffs might be more beneficial than a lottery pick, because at least the young players would have a chance to gain some valuable playoff experience. But for a veteran team, like the Rockets, making the playoffs and losing in the first round is just as bad as not making the playoffs altogether. It’s championship or bust.
but for there to be a first round exit there has to at least be an opportunity and chance to win. cant have one without the other.
and I wasn't even really concerned about the draft my self.. the main difference for me is: first round exit=we just need some minor changes not making the playoffs=we need major changes
The natural terminus of the crazy logic train being constructed here is that every team should strive to be 0-82 save one. I'm pretty damned sure that everybody associated with the NBA, from the Owner, down to the GM, down to the coach, down to the players, and a distinct majority of fans, would rather be in the playoffs than out of the playoffs.
so you'd rather have to make major changes, like complete reconstruction, rather than minor changes...like signing a MLE FA player?
Sam Fisher. Tracie is spelled the way it was intended, with the "ie" instead of the "y". Where I come from when it's spelled with "y" that generally means you go to the men's restroom. When you spell it with "ie" means you go to the little girls room. Is it Sam?, Sammy or Sammie?
Should every team strive to make the playoffs so they can have a shot at a championship? Absolutely. I sure as hell am hoping the team gets to the playoffs this year. However, if the team loses in the first round yet again, I will feel no better about making the playoffs than I would have if the team just flat out missed the playoffs altogether. I’m talking about the end result here. Looking back in hindsight, knowing what we know now (that the Rockets lost in the first round last year), are we in any better shape now and in the future than teams that just missed the playoffs last year like Orlando or Portland? Are we in any better shape now (having made the playoffs last season and losing in the 1st round) than we were last season (having just missed the playoffs the season before)? My answer to both questions is no. Merely making the playoffs is not the huge accomplishment you make it seem. There are some very mediocre teams that have made the playoffs before.
Like I said before, looking back in hindsight, from your perspective every team except for one shoudl try to go 0-82 in order to pick up the inknown commodities. Sorry but I just don't buy that.
Sure you can say in hind sight that being in the lottery is better than losing in the first round. Unfortunately you don't know you are going to lose in the first round until after it happens. I am pretty sure the fans would not have been happier if we missed the playoffs last year. I mean it isn't like we barely made it in, we had home court. The expectations obviously were that we were going to do better than we did, or we wouldn't have a new coach now. The only question is whether those expectations were realistic or not. Did JVG underachive with a really talented team that has added even more talent over the off season, or did he over achieve with a team that has TMac, Yao and a bunch of average at best role players?
Re-read what I wrote about the Golden State Warriors. For a young team like Golden State, or a team that shows significant progress in the playoffs (ie. getting to the 2nd round for the first time), there is a ton that can be gained from the playoffs and still not winning a championship. However, if a team continually loses in the first round every year and shows no progress, I don't see what could possibly be gained from that.
Perception - this thread is pointless and stupid. Reality - this thread is going to reach over 8 pages
