Some people in Houston seem to have a too long memory, such as Les and Jeff. They seem to think that Rockets just won championships a couple of years ago and what will make Rockets make into playoffs next year is just to get some good picks, like "Yao Ming", no major change needed. I hope impression is right. Don't get me wrong. Rockets do need good players, but what they need the most is a new coach, new GM and a new basketball approach. Those who thrived under those old rules are finding out that the old "isolation" basketbak game doesn't work these days, look at NY, Toronto, Philly, Miami, and, off course Houston. The new rules have made basketball much more fun, because it is more team oriented. Those teams play more team are doing so much better. Look at Kings, Mavs, Nets and Celtics. Lakers this year is not going to win Championship(I wish my prediction is not true), simply because they don't really play team ball, even though they have two amazing players on the team and a triangle system. If Houston really wants a playoff team in next two years, fans have to demand major changes, Jeff and Clutch have to demand major changes, and especially Les has to demand major changes! But, I don't think it will happen.
Whatever. Give this team a full healthy roster and lets see if you come over here whining about them being a bad team.
The Rocks lead the league this year in close games, decided by three points or less. They have been 10 overtimes!!! A healhty MoTay and Rice should be enough to push this close game loses into wins. How many games have the Rocks crawl at the start? I keep thinking if only MoTay was healthy, the Rocks would not be spotting their opponents first period leads. Next year, EG should also contributing more, since he now knows what the NBA is like and has a summer to work on his NBA game. The Rocks should win 50 games next year!!!
I not so optimistic on the Rockets next year. Unless a major trade or change comes, I don't see how a draft pick (even a high lotto one), a "healthy" Rice and a healthy MoT will help much. Mo's injury was/is pretty severe and even with his great outlook, I don't see him going back to his "old self" for at least 2 years. Personally, I'd rather see KT stay in - good points and more rbs. And I know there are a few Rice fans left but most have left the building - just like his game and the Rocks $. 10 additional wins - that's what I see - still in in search of balls next year. Don't get me wrong, I'm still as much a fan as I have been for the past 20 years - I just a realistic, patient fan.
Caveman (aka BasketballFan, aka Scottie Pippen/Phil Jackson/Doc Rivers ass kisser) posts here for one reason and one reason only: to bash Rudy T as a coach. Here is one of his early exchanges, post banning, in 1999: <i>There is a very fine line between being optimistic and delusional. --- Come on Rudy, win some games. Your Rudy Lovers are working 24 hour a day and 7 days a week to defend you. Don't them down. Keep use your Dump to the post 1st, and Pass out 2nd. --- <b>Clutch Responds:</b> Well said. What everyone needs to understand and Caveman is ignoring is he is the poster previously known as BasketballFan. He was kicked because he was constantly bashing posters, primarily Almu and DREAMer, for posting opinions contrary to his. He thinks he got in without anyone knowing, but we've known for a long time... ... You need to loosen up BasketballFan and have some fun ... stop labeling everyone who has an opinion different than yours as a "Rudy lover". --- ...Why is it ok for people to attack anyone who thinks Rudy sucks, and not the other way around...As far as Almu, German, and Popeye, they attacked me first, in the preseason. ONLY BECAUSE I HAD GIVEN UP ON RUDY LONG TIME AGO...if you want to ban me just because I hate Rudy's coaching to my guts, it is your right... Rockets' biggest problem is not player talent levels, it is the coach's ineptitude.</i> He continued throughout the early part of the 99-00 season: <i>Changes should have already been made when it was 0-1 at home. I thing Rockets will go to 2-11. Prove me Wrong Rudy! I dare you.</i> Well, Rudy did. The Rockets went 9-4 including a 5-game winning streak. He liked to chastise people for being Quitten hata's: <i>One thing I need to add is that some of the fans in Houston just make me sick, their looser alike over-reaction, failure to put things behind and uncontrolable b****ing in the media give Houston and we Houstonians a bad image. Yea, like we can't function without Pip. Why can't we just be strong and say: "please don't let the door hit you, mr.vPippen", then be done with it. All these talk about wanting Chuck to give Pippen a body slam or a Spree Choke is upsetting me. But I guess I have to tolerate their feeling, even though it is much looser like.</i> He praised the Olajuwon injury: <i>I hate to admit it, but I actually cheered when Dream got out the game, because I knew Rockets would be playing much better with out him in the low post as the road block to the hole...DAMN! I wish Rudy would just leave. His so called loyalty is actually making a hall of famer looking really bad. It is just sad.</i> From the thread he entitled "Hakeem inujury (his spelling) a Christmas gift.": <i>To me, Hakeem's freak injury from fouling Sabonis is a disguised gift from the Basketball god. He is tired of watching a talented team using a badly misguided system and compling lose after lose, so he has responded to my prayer and made sure Hakeem and Rudy will not be able to claim that post-up game is a good plan, after the Rockets goes on a long winning period without having to dump-it-to-Hak-first. So when Hakeem comes back he will be humble and learn to adjust to a new role, ROLE PLAYER, thus find team become very good. </i> He also managed to call Dream "old" and "selfish." He said that Rudy T groupies were the reason Les wouldn't fire him because he needed votes for the arena (this of course was after the first referendum failed): <i>This what I think what is going on; Rudy has been using a word, "loyalty", to get Les to drop any demands of COUNTABILITY on his coaching performance. As long as Les think there are large mass of Rudy groupies out there in Houston, he is not going to fire Rudy, because of he wants the arena votes from these people.</i> After some mysterious absences, he admitted in May of 2001 that he was permanently living in Los Angeles (in a condo) and had stopped following the Rockets. At this point, he wanted Hakeem to be a Laker: <i>Anyway, I think it would be very nice if Lakers can get Hakeem and use him in the 4 instead of 5. I think he will fit very nicely here, triangle or no traingle. He has a very nice 18 foot jumper, that is very valueable consider they are going to have zone defence next year...I will take Dream over CWeb any time, as long as Rudy TomJUNKvitch is not the coach.</i> Then, in 2001, he turned his attention to me when I asked if it would be more special to win a championship the first year at the new arena or the last year at the CC: <i>Jeff: There are fantasies and there are Dillusions. Dreaming Rockets winning a championship next 5 years is silly. Rome is not built in oneday.</i> more at the beginning of the 2001-02 season: <i>Once again Jeff is trying to preempt any criticism of Rudy, by stating how depleted Rockets are, thus implying all these losses, even though depressing, are not Rudy's fault. I will bet that if Rockects were coached by people like Doc Rivers or Byron Scott, 13-game losing streak will never happen with this depleted roster.</i> In December of last year, he started defending Dream: <i>I find your recent attacks on Dream so stupid. Do you guys really think Rudy T would have won Championships without Hakeem? Rudy can't coach!</i> I mean, you have to hand it to the guy. He is a confirmed Rudy hata and that's fine, but good Lord, does he have a complex. He gets fixated on one or two posters and can't let go. Bottom line: let's all accept Caveman for what he is... A condo-livin' troll from LA LA Land. Nuff said.
Thank you Jeff for your long reply and obvious detailed research through hard work. I wish I could respond to your each point, but my life right now is too busy and meaningful, I simply don't have the time like you do. But in general, yes, the only problem I see in Rockets is Rudy. Just because that he happend to be the coach on Hakeem's Rockets during those championships, does not mean he should keep his job without any counterbility. I am glad many Houston fans are not going to the games these days. May be revenue crunch will finally wake Les up one day and realize he has been too hands off. Look 248 miles north. See what they are doing in Dallas?
hmmm...so caveman thinks a couple of rookie coaches can even measure the stature of Rudy. ha that's funny. I may get tired of some of the Rocks offensive schemes but i will give this to Rudy...at least he had the balls to stay and rebuild as opposed to that jackass phil jackson.
Caveman: Don't you have better things to do with your time like go to strip clubs or hang out with the Hollywood phoneys?
He may be a troll, but he may be right. The Rockets need to gain a lot of toughness in the frontcourt (and Mo Taylor will not provide that). Rice will not be healthy for an extended period and there's precious little evidence he can be a solid player anymore. The backcourt's real nice, but the 3, 4, and 5 spots are a mess. In the big Western conference, that isn't a good thing. (I won't touch the Rudy bashing other than to say, he won't get fired and I don't think he should be)
The 3 spot is a SEVERE mess and the 5 would be ok if there were other components available to make up for its shortcomings (Luc Longley and Bill Wennington actually won championship rings, ya' know ). But, I'm not sure I agree on the 4. Even if Taylor doesn't come back fully or is a complete bust over the next few years, Eddie Griffin's development should offset that. In addition, KT makes a very servicable power forward if not one you would think of as a starter on a contender, depending on the make-up of the team. I personally think we are ok at the 1, 2 and 4, but the 5 could stand some help (even if its role is just altered) and the 3 is a disaster. To me, the biggest problem we have is the lack of depth at some positions and the total overflow at others. The only really balanced spot on the floor is the point guard where we have three guys capable there every night. Our backup at the 2 is a non-drafted rookie from Venezuela. Our small forward is your choice of 2 broken down former shooters, a second-year guy who could barely get off the bench and a rookie who can't hit a jumper to save his life. Our center is an on-again-off-again defensive rebounder with injury problems, a big white guy who can shoot (sometimes) and a 39-year-old who is finally falling apart. Our power forward spot is a non-rebounding torn achillies, a second-tier smallish overachiever and a skinny rookie who hits more three's than turn around jumpers in the post. I just think we have to look at moving some players to clear up logjams and bring in others to fill gaping holes. In short, we've got issues.
you are being kind Anyway, Jeff, any inkling on who the Rockets would lean towards drafting if they indeed end up at the 5 or 6 slot? Are they looking at a true 3 (maybe Butler or Woods if he falls) or would they go for the best player available (ie. if wilcox or gooden fell to them...or even Wagner)?
If I were a betting man, I would put my money on a true 3 if they were at the 5 or 6 spot. I would think Butler would be high on their list among a few others like Woods. Frankly, that is the position I'd like to see them go after in the draft. If they can't get up to #1 to get Yao Ming (and, I'm not particularly sold on him anyway), I'd think that 3 is next on the list. I personally think they would not draft a player at a position that was filled solidly (at least to them). I could not see them taking a 1, 2 or 4, for example.
