Spoiler Dave, what's going on, how are you? Good, how are you? Fantastic. Rockets doing well lately. Myself and Richard Justice were comparing schedules down the stretch of the Rockets and Grizzlies. Is that when you look at this thing --that this is the team they are chasing? Or more like New Orleans? Still feels like they're chasing Memphis but NO also still a team that could slip. They'll face the Grizzlies twice here and Rockets once. One team will come up short. Probably between those teams. Phoenix and Utah --you're starting to see them slip away. Still there but you can see them starting to drop. Houston hoping to make a run. Looking at last 11 games here, you can list off 6 games that are very difficult for the Rockets and they will have to win at a minimum 3 to make it. Not easy. Still a longshot being 2 games out of the playoffs. Thats what I wanted to ask. Helps they got 3-1 advantage over Memphis but...I'm sure you've broken down the last 11 games every which way. If you had to..rest-of-the season 101, is 8-3 comfortable enough or 9-2 the minimum? I think 9-2 is a lock and my hunch is 8-3 would get you in. You look at Memphis schedule ---they got a break with Duncan injury--but looking at the schedule, Memphis' is very difficult. Got road games against Celtics, Bulls and home against Hornets, Spurs w/o Duncan, Blazers after that. Rockets have to make up at least one game against Memphis and 2 to tie. Houston will have to knock off teams that they're not suppose to win against. Look at Miami, home against SA probably without Duncan, home against Hawks, road vs Hornets and at home vs Dallas --a team they havent beat this year. Another game that will be real difficult is at Philly on the tailend of a back to back. Rockets have lost 6 of 7 to Philly--a team they cant seem to beat. Many look past that game but that will be difficult as well. What is it about the Sixers? Not like Sixers bigs are good but looked good last time vs Rockets. What is it with them? In the past, it is athleticism and a team that had nothing to lose. A run and gun type team, a team that played some good D. In the past it is a different story but lately the Rockets have lost 2 in row at home to them. They've come on strong this year. Not a bad team in general. The Grizzlies getting news Gay is done for the season. Played well in his absence --8-6 I believe and against many playoff teams if the season ended today. Do you put stock in the 8-6 without him or something that will catch up to them even with the easy schedule? It will. They'll be stronger if they get him back. Adding Battier will help that gap but he was a key part of their team. I think it will catch up. Got a tough schedule. They're fairly battle-tested without him but I think it will catch up to them. I wanna talk about Hasheem Thabeet. Got sent to D-League to get minutes. Doesnt get off the bench. My question specifically--do you think he will be a guy---we know he is 7'3, that wont change, he'll always be big and tall--but I sat close to him in the Charlotte game and he didnt look like he had a care in the world and had a smile on his face the whole game. Not sure if I'm reading too much into that but is there gonna be someone that can get to that spark something deep down inside Hasheem Thabeet that gets him playing like the 2nd overall pick or does he just not have that gear? You ask yourself --how many players come into the league without that spark and then gain it? Very few. Im not high on him. Wasnt thrilled with that deal/trade. I have talked to several people about that--the Rockets look at Thabeet and say to themselves-- yeah I think the most likely scenario is he does not make it. Thats the way the Rockets feel. They would put a less than 50% chance on him panning out. But I think they project him higher than we do. I think they probably put it over 1 in 3 chance that he'll make it. They see him as a guy who had only 1 bad year and thats this year. They feel the Grizzlies took a different approach with him. They tried to develop his all around game whereas the Rockets are saying "Hey, we're gonna just focus on his strengths--rebounding and shotblocking--and he's always shown that where ever he's been." Knowledge of the game, basketball IQ, huge--just like Jordan Hill, he doesnt have. To add to this, work ethic. Has been a huge question mark with him particularly this year and thats what I think they're working on. The plan was to send him down to the D-League if he didnt start getting minutes and thats what we're seeing. I watched that first game with the Vipers, and even though he had good numbers, he didnt miss a single shot and 4 blocks, he didnt impact the game like you would like to see in a D-League game. Golden State tonight w/ no Chase Budinger. Will try to piece it together with Lee and Patterson. Do you think this will work in the short term or at least tonight? I think they will do alright tonight. Lee and Patterson have played well lately. Not sure you'll see Scola, Patterson, Hayes on the court at the same time. Patterson has been unbelievable since Scola has been out. He's been great. I think they'll be ok w/o Chase. He has played well but he too has had his ups and downs. Kyle Lowry POW. I was almost shy about asking a couple weeks ago of where you would rank him the WC PG rankings, afraid of sounding like a Rockets homer when you ask a question like that but he has injected himself in the upper half of PGs in the WC. Helps when the Rockets are winning too. Since first 10 games--he was abysmal to start the year--but since that time he has exploded. In March, he has gone through the roof. Not a surprise he won POW. Hate saying this is the type of player he is all the time but he is a young guy. He got a bright future and really is starting to develop and probably the story of the year for the Rockets. Great tweet from you earlier this week. Kyle Lowry hit FA too earlier, Aaron Brooks a year too late, and Daryl Morey's porridge is just right. I think that says it all with the whole PG situation. Some things have not turned out perfectly for Morey but this PG situation did. You would've liked to see Brooks play better but it turned out ok, right? It has. I think the plan privately was to trade Aaron this year as soon as Lowry re-signed. That contract is a bargain as a starter, they knew Lowry could start. As a backup, it's a pricey contract. Certainly right at market value or a little high for backup PG. I think the way they came out is outstanding but I do think they hoped they could get more for Aaron. The way his season unfolded though, his value dropped significantly. Exactly. He would've liked to see Aaron play better if for no other reason just to have a more valuable chip trade deadline time. Exactly. Appreciate it. Enjoy the game. You too.
Spoiler Kings tonight. 5 games left, 3 back. ... Welcome in, how are you? Good how are you? Doing great. No NBA last night. Before we get into the Rockets. did you watch last night? I watched a little bit. I watched the first half and was shocked by the score and how ugly it was. Wanted to ask if any players stood out to you, maybe for the Rockets or just in general. I do think Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker will be good pros. They played well. Do think they have a bright future. Dont think they'll(Rockets) look at PGs but cant afford not to look at BPA. Looking at Walker, he was so good collegiately, many will look for what he cant do. I think he has a chance to be a dangerous player. Many say/compare him to Ben Gordon. I agree with you on that. He is a gamer. You can put the ball in his hands and he'll make a play. Dont think he is a pure PG that you'd like to see but is a skilled player. I met him last Friday. The name he brought up was Allen Iverson. Absolutely. Both of those guys, the Rockets specifically, they target guys that were projected high coming out of HS. About the Rockets and how they're closing out, whether they'll make it or not, they'll close it out on a nice run that I dont think many saw coming. I think of the Texans of a few years ago, who closed out on a 4 game winning streak, leaving fans optimistic for the following year, only to follow up that year going 6-10. If Rockets dont make the playoffs, should Rockets feel optimistic with this group plus a draft pick, do they feel good? Great question. They have been so impressive and dont want to make wholesale changes but I think they still want to stay the course and want a superstar. Many look at Lowry and see him as this guy but in the league where the Heat set the bar, you cant hope for a draft pick and Yao Ming to come back and expect to contend. You dropped in Yao Ming. Do you epect him back? Expect? Good question. They're looking at it as a wildcard. They're planning on him coming back, but not counting on him. Barring a setback. they expect him to return. Broader question: there are 29 other teams in the league. Injury history will scare many teams but is there a market for Yao? I would say definitely. What team wouldnt give it a shot? He is marketing gold. If he does pan out, you got a 7'6 skilled player. I do think there will be a market. You will see the Rockets play off a loyalty card. No doubt. ... The other night, the Hawks game, there were chants of MVP for Chuck Hayes. I think Chuck should be in the mix for MIP. Who is Rockets MVP? Good question. You can maybe pick 3-4 guys. I'd go with Lowry. He has been the floor leader and leader in general. His improvement on O not getting enough attention. Before you could leave him open. He has become solid. He is a guy who has been fastastic. Would you put his name in the hat for MIP? You can make a case for him. Last year, Brooks won it and that was partially due to increase playing time. Lowry the same this year too but his 3pt shooting has gone through the roof. You can definitely make the case. Who is your MVP in the league? Do you agree with Rose? I would go Rose. Very close between him and Dwight. The MVP is now where you take a player away from a team and that team is no good. If you were to take one player though, you take LeBron. I think Dwight, other than LeBron, the way he impacts both ends, gives you the highest floor. I agree. You look at Orlando without Dwight, its not that good. Got some big names and big contracts but not a good team without him. Rose and Howard neck and neck. Looking at Rose though, he has taken it to another level. Memphis having buyers remorse on Gay contract? Might be pricey but a good player for them. They have plugged in Battier and havent missed a beat so you could make a case its not money well spent. With what Memphis has to do this offseason, its as much salary cap issue as it is resource issue. Yeah, they're not in a good situation. They had financial problems for long time now. How do you think the Rockets finish the year? Win total? Only 5 games left. Yeah, most people look at and say 3-2 and that would end it. I dont think they'll go 5-0. I'd probably say 4-1. NO a must win. 0-3 against Dallas so need to buck a trend there. Hard to give COY award to team that wont make the playoffs but hard to find better coaching job than Rick Adelman. They were counting on Yao this year. For him to lose Yao again, he came here to coach Yao and McGrady, and only got 72 games together with them. You brought him in to bring a championship but with the talent level he's had, he has done a great job. Appreciate the time as always. Catch up again. Keep up the great work. Thanks. Thanks for having me.
