cant say im surprised... 1. they lost their last two 2. james harden is back (highly underrated) 3. they are one of the top defensive teams 4. they are better than us
Portland,utah,orlando did it also. I used ok city because they got rid of allen and let lewis go. Portland traded their best players and got roy at 6. Orlando traded tracy and just got howard and 4 yrs later they were in the finals. The guy doesn't have to be durant, but you have to trade a guy a year earlier vs a year late.
5. They are not a good 3point % (they made everything tonight) 6. We have to recall the entire D-League. 7. It was about time they got a win vs the Rockets.
I wish Budinger's play would improve but he is not a consistent player. I hope he plays better down the stretch. This team deserved better but the dreaded injuries kept the team from making the playoffs. I hope Yao does come back but it is not a given he will be ready to contribute right away. This Summer will be another time for changes I hope the team can be ready to compete right away for the top seed at the the start of the season for once.
I think it's more of a synergy type thing. Our starting line up is primarily offensive and Ariza fits the flow. However, Battier is the helpful 6th man that works as a defensive specialist
No, not really. I think they have done a good job getting alot of good young players. I scoff at the boards notion Yao will come back and all of a sudden they're "contenders". Its not about this 1 game either as it may seem like, but people on this board talk like it will be 4 or 5 years if they trade yao and i doubt that big time.
Our team looked so good out there, so well coached, that with the addition of Yao Ming, David Lee and Chris Bosh + a playmaker Point Guard and the addition of a first class Defensive Coach we should become a contender next season! Tonight most of our players looked like they should be in the D League
So, Seattle/OKC were able to rebuild by ditching Reshard Lewis, but Orlando did the same thing because of him? Occam's Razor, Lee. Obtaining elite lottery talent is how teams become elite. The Jazz, Portland, Orlando and Thunder have had a boatload of lottery talent come through. Those teams didn't have some genius plan other than drafting well.
And rockets are "rebuilding". It's just that Yao is still a part of that rebuilding (sad for you I know). I see no need at this stage to go through a 10/20 win season to get a high lottery pick and hope to get a franchise player that way. You're going all in when you don't need to.
If by synergy you mean, "If Ariza doesn't start he'll throw a hissy fit and sulk around even more than he does now because he thinks he's sooooo much better than he really is and Battier is just awesome, and way too humble for a mere mortal, so he's willing to come off the bench for the good of the team" then, yes. I agree with you.
I just think people, maybe not the people that count, are counting on yao as the savior and he wont be. I don't want to bottom out by dumping everyone, but our biggest piece can probably bring back the biggest piece. I just really hope they look at the entire situation in terms of wins and losses and going forward to building a champion. OK City has passed the rockets in terms of being a better team to me. I've watched about 30 games and they're going to be scary. Not to mention they have cap room and assets. I mean I really like jeff green, but jeff green and the ability to absorb salary can get you chris bosh. Not to mention the emergence of serge i-blocka.
A 21 year old Durant can make any argument for the rebuilding plea sound good. So if Portland did pick Durant, where would that leave OKC today? Not as good safe to say, and not as appealing for the rebuilding argument. So what would Yao get in the open market today? Another franchise player? I don't think so. Lottery picks, don't think so either. Probably a bunch of good role players, maybe a 2nd or 3rd tier allstar, and protected picks. You can ask what would Yao from 2 years ago could bring in, probably the answers would be about the same.
