Potland is only 4.5 games behind us, and Nuggets only 0.5. After watching the games we played against Western Conference contenders, I am a little bit worried. We still have a chance to MISS this year's playoff, believe it or not.
there is a reason that portland is 4.5 games behind us. they win less then we do and play worse. and now they traded away wallace. and sort of rebuild in the season (miles and abdur-rahim). of course prtland can make the play offs but not only we can miss the play ffs there is also denver and memphis. i think we will finally see post season again
the rockets will be in the playoffs. Anytime the rockets lose everyone overreacts. Dallas has kicked our ass for years. It was a tough matchup. You can pinpoint the rockets being the 6th or 7th seed.
The chance for us to make play-off is as good as before the dallas game, as good as when season started. Loss doesnt mean no playoff, win doesnt mean champion either. This team is right at where it should be on the ranking chart.
THis thread is idiotic. The rockets were 4.5 games ahead of these teams two weeks ago. IT's two weeks later and they haven't gained any ground. Time is not on the side of mediocre teams like Portland, Utah, and Seattle. There's a reason why these teams are below .500 and clserr to the Clippers than the playoffs. Please.
The sky is not falling, believe it or not!!! Relax, we got beat by a better team... The day JVG puts in an offense to beat the zone (and the rockets actually execute it - cuttino included) will be the day we beat the mavs.
So you're ready to give up on a Portland team that has Zach Randolph, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Derek Anderson, Theo Ratliff, and Damon Stoudamire? No question they've vastly underachieved this season, but that is a lot of talent, really more talent than the Rockets have so I'm keeping the corner of my eye on this team right now. Zach Randolph is one of only six NBA players averaging more than 20 pts and 10 boards a game right now and putting him alongside Rahim and Ratliff forms a hell of a front court for the Blazers. Now something is obviously wrong with Abdur-Rahim. Last year in Atlanta he played on a team with Glen Robinson and Jason Terry and that team couldn't make the playoffs in the east. Probably has something to do with spending his early developmental years with the lowly Vancouver Grizzlies. Still, Rahim isn't too far from the 20-10 barrier himself and if the right coach got a hold of him, they could transform him into an all star player. Theo Ratliff is one of the best post defenders of the game and with Randolph and Abdur-Rahim, they won't be needing him for offense. So recognize this team for what it is-- an underachieving team. There's time for this new team to gel together and make a run for the playoffs.
Yup. I'm ready to give up on a team that is 27-28 and is 4 and a half games back and 9-18 on the road this season. Put it this way, if the Rockets play lousy and get a mediocre .500 the rest of the season, they will finish 45-37. To beat that, Portland would have to go 19-9 the rest of the way. Not going to happen. If you think it is, I encourage you to bet me for it. I will take your signature for the next year if they Rockets make the playoffs, if not, you get mine. Put something on the line if you think this is true.
If there is one team that can kick the Rox out of the 8th spot, it is the Portland TrailBlazers. NOT the Jazz ....NOT the Sonics. It's the Blazers!!!! As far as i am concerned the Jazz and Sonics are done for the season.
Why in the hell are you always trying to make a bet with me? This is the second time in the past week that you've taken one of my observations in which I really wasn't taken one side or the other and told me to put my money where my mouth is. You do realize in order for us to have a bet, each of us have to take one of two different positions on a subject. What in my post that you were responding to shows me taking one side or the other? All I was pointing out is that it is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Blazers will make the playoffs and guess what........it isn't. That doesn't mean I'm guaranteeing you that they will be in the playoffs. I guess you're one of those people who reads the first sentence of the post and then responds. Please don't respond until you've read the whole thing.
Portland's two best players both play the same position. SAR can play SF, but he loses much of his effectiveness there. So far, Randolph and SAR haven't played well together. Neither Randolph or SAR are even average defenders. Portland has very little outside shooting. Ratliff isn't a great post defender. He's a great shot blocker, but that's not the same thing. He gets most of his blocks by coming from the weakside. Ratliff isn't going to shutdown too many centers, especially in the west.
the only thing that worries me is out record in conference play. We own a horendous 12-17 record in the West. That SUCKS!
I don't have to read the rest of it because it is moot, as the scenario which you foresee is impossible I guarantee it. If you don't believe me, have some and bet on it. Otherwise, you're just being a chicken little. There's enough of that crap going on around here.
There is no way in hell Portland catches us. I like our chances in a 1st round matchup against a Minnesota or Sacramento. We can play them tough.
