[Poll] How many games does this team win next season?

I've always said that fans are a lot more pessimistic than outside fans are. I've seen Spurs fans trash their players and coaches during the Duncan era and all you have to do is watch Astros fans talk crap about their own championship team just because they didn't have the hottest start.

I do think a lot of that goes on here, a lot of other fans think the Rockets have a very exciting group of young players and just need to put it together.

I agree too that the intentional tanking likely lost us a few games we would have won also I never agree with the "Well this is what Vegas said..." teams that make the jump usually do so unpredictably. You can just look at the last few years to see that. The Kings were that team last year, no one had them being as good as they were but things clicked, they changed their coach, made a few moves (adding vets that might not have been so exciting) and things clicked.

Same for the Cavs pre-Donovan, no one expected them to become a playoff team when they did. So these predictions are very reactive in the end.

Could be that things really click for someone like Green. That he takes better shots thanks to Ime's direction and he's like 3rd in scoring, a bonafide all-star, and surrounded by a bunch of defensive dogs in Brooks, Tari, Bari, that allow him to drop 30+ ppg on efficiency and lead the Rockets to a playoff spot. People really downplay sometimes how easy Green can score when he has it going. Teams were legit throwing double teams at him last year and he admitted he didn't know what to do when they did.

Could be that Maybe Jalen and Sengun don't quite make the leap but everyone around them improves just enough and that Ime does a good job of riding the hot hand each night to squeeze out as many wins as possible to surprise us all.

Could be that Amen or Whitmore are bonafide franchise players and don't take long to put their stamp on the league.

While I do think 30-37 wins is the realistic thing here I really don't think it's impossible at all that the Rockets win more than 40 games and contend for a playoff spot.

I mean yeah we are looking for multiple things to go right but thats the same for every team. I think the mistake of being too pessimistic about the team is assuming that every other team is just always on the up when teams rise and fall all the time and any serious injury could knock out any team at any moment. I mean its only a matter of time for PG and Kawhi to both be out and leave Westbrook the job of carrying the Clippers for instance.

I'm going into this season with more of an open mind at least. Last season I knew it was not going to happen, like a 1% chance or something but this year I think a lot more positively about it. I also think a coach change and adding veterans is really going to help the mental of this team which people vastly underrate.

At the same time people are looking at 35 or so wins as bad when that would put them in relevant games till around the end of the season. It FEELS bad but its still like a 10+ game improvement and then puts us right in line for a more expected playoff appearance in the 24-25 season.

 

For anyone saying play-in (or flat out playoffs) is the bare minimum... who are we pushing out?

*Note: not saying you're right or wrong

 

"marginal players" ... "coaching reset" ... "culture install" .. take your pick. Our fans are caught in the cycle of abuse from the last 3 years where we cant expect much and its sad. Sitting back after the complete rehaul we just witnessed and being passive about this team possibly being a 30 win team or less is nauseating. If this team underperforms heads should roll no questions.

 

I don't see us hitting .500. We lack star power unless Green or Sengun take a massive leap in their third year, which makes it hard to win games consistently. Our team might improve because we've added experienced players in their proper roles, but we'd probably be more like a Washington or Utah from last season. Improving our team identity will go a long way to adding wins, but to actually be a playoff team usually requires elite talent on top of that.

 

The patient approach is over for me. We went out and secured the best coach and free agent available this cycle (allegedly). Spent 200Ms in free agency and for me to read guys talk about this being a 30 win team and not having high expectations is a GD shame. Not aimed at you specifically - just at ROXNATION in general. If the expectation is not .500 or bust we royally screwed EVERYTHING up and should just start over with new GM, coach and players or just move this franchise to Vegas and be done with it.

 

Nope

No excuses

Rocket River

 

I'm sorry but if you making 40 million....best contract of the off season
And end up being a17 and 9 guy...or even a 20 and 8 guy

Major disappointment

Rocket River

 

So you're telling me that if the Rockets make a 15 game improvement, get to the 11th seed, just short of the play in, but 2 or 3 of our 19-22 yr olds make a big step forward you would consider that a failure and Rockets should just sell everything?

If we are to make the play in, what are the 5 teams you fully expect us to be better than?

I can absolutely see us being better than 4 teams, but I'm having a hard time making the case for the 5th one for the 2023-2024 season. I'm not saying it's not possible, but I don't have that as my expectation.

That being said, I do think we still have a bright future as a team. I think 2024-2025 we should be a playoff team.

 

Yeah I'm not seeing an obvious answer here.

New Orleans looked really good when Ingram and Zion were playing. Big if, but a healthy Pelicans team is a playoff lock imo.

Lakers will go as far as LeBron can take them. Is this the year he shows his age? We've been asking this for the past 5+ years and it hasn't happened.

Minnesota would be my pick to fall out, but they have consistent regular season performers and an ascendant Anthony Edwards. The play-in runs through Minnesota.

Dallas and Utah were in that next tier. Utah is trending down, while Dallas has Luka who gives them a fighting chance every game.

I think this Rockets team tops out at ~35 wins. Play-in is optimistic.

 

Best coach available - check
Best FA available "pure PG" - check
Best FA defensive wing stopper - check
KPJ benched - check
200+Ms spent in free agency

All that to expect 30 wins or slightly more???

 

Aside from the coach, I’m going to say it’s Jabari. If his shot is still not falling, that’s going to be a killer.

 

I can see Memphis, Minnesota, New Orleans, and both LA teams as teams that are not guaranteed "good" seasons for various reasons. Im assuming that the stars have lined up for Houston as most of what has transpired has been at the blessing of the "know ball" clique who said that the events leading up to now would catapult Houston back into the playoffs. If this team goes from 22 wins to 35 they better have stars in the making readily evident for all the world to see in order to offer the hope of a bright future vs stopgap veterans who play Udoka style and "battle".

For Udokas sake I guess a couple of our guys better turn into Tatum and Brown in a hurry.

 

Interesting.

I love your passion for NBA and Rockets, but I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

The only team on your list that has gotten worse is Memphis due to the suspension. But he'll still play 50%-70% of the season and having 2 DPOY candidates should help keep their record decent.

What is going to make those teams worse?

In my opinion this is the most parity I've seen in the West. I think each night vs a Western conference team is going to be a battle, which is great! I see a 15 game improvement in this particular upcoming season much greater than the absolute value of 15 games if it were a few seasons ago if that makes any sense

 

I'll add... I don't think Ime expects anything less than playin/playoffs, which is exactly what he should be thinking.

 

Father Time is undefeated. Both LA teams depending heavily on guys 32 years or older will be an issue for them.
Memphis could come out flat. Who knows how they respond to Ja and whether he resumes his pre "gangsta" form.
Minnesota is ripe for the picking as is New Orleans. Not impressed by either team - if Houston plays solid team ball we should be able to win games against both of those squads.
Sacramento going to continue their upward trend or will they return to being "Good Ol' Sacramento" ??

Only locks I can see as of today for the West playoffs next year are DEN, PHX, GS (Warriors getting old too though). I agree with your parity take.

 

Right now, if our starting lineup is as expected....we have.

PG - FVV - can't beat many off the dribble
SG - JG - Streaky, and doesn't have hesi or left hand
SF - DB - Can't shoot for crap
PF - JS - Don't know if he can shoot yet
C - AS - Will they put him in the post?

Defense is improved, but offense has gotten worse....unless we get growth from Green, Bari and Sengun.

DD

 

I truly don't know, but I would prepare yourself to hand OKC a pick between 5-10. Much depends on the growth of the young guys and Ime, as they are tied together now.

Lastly, we will still have a midseason deadline. We went from 9 FRPs drafted in 3 seasons to 6....... but 6 is still pretty high. Not out of the realm of possibility we make a medium to major move with our assets midseason.