Actually, we are...we just need to stay healthy and learn how to win game 7s or put teams away. I think since we have built a stronger bench, this year...we can put teams away faster than we could in the past....we need back-up center and a pg, though.
How is a team "built for the playoffs" when the team is full of guys who have had little or no playoff success. Or is Brent Barry's success (as a backup) enough to make up for everyone else?
They are still discovering each other. Honestly, Battier has only played one game with TMac. TMac hasn't been at full strength yet. AB is emerging but still feeling it out. Ron will find a better niche soon. Anyone notice we aren't playing very well and still lead our division. That we aren't playing well and have been in every game except maybe that Laker blowout, and even then we showed at least first quarter dominance. Granted we will need four exceptionally played quarters to beat the Lakers, but I think its in our cards. We are better than last year, of this I have no doubt. Honestly what I am most excited about it the lineup of Scola, Landry, Artest, Battier and either AB or Rafer. With Hayes exchanging in for Scola off the bench. Anyone notice that was the group that first broke open the game against the Spurs. Anyone notice we couldn't play that lineup against the Nugs because Battier was out again. Give me those four and one of our point guards and I say we take down anyone in the league except the Lakers or Celtics (they are too long). For them we will need TMac.
Right on brother......The main concept of money ball to me is that one or two point wins or losses are not a good predictor of future success....Most of our losses this season have been very close games.... Our Ls this season: 1. versus Boston at home: lost by four to defending world champs. 2. 2 point loss @ Portland....Had the lead with .7 to go. Portland rarely ever loses at home, if Battier plays, we win this game. 3. Laker blow out.....Lakers are playing like the best team in the league right now. 4. 2 point loss @ SA....Very tough loss....Major choke job at the end. Pissed away a W 5. L at home versus Dallas.....No Yao Ming. Yao is easily our most valuable player conscidering who backs him up. With Yao we win this game rather easily. 6. 1 point loss to IND......Leading the whole game....Didn't finish. Another choke job. With Tracy Mcgrady that is an easy W. 7. 10 point L @ Denver......No Tmac second night of back to back. Loss. Like I said in the begining of this thread, The only thing we have to worry about is health. With a healthy squad, we are one of the toughest teams to beat in the entire league. The main objective right now should be to make sure that our guys stay healthy over the long haul. I think sometime this year, Francis will retire and we will sign Mutumbo which would give us a complete squad going into the playoffs.
Dude, you are wrong. We need to be healthy so we can start developing chemistry and to get our rotations right. We are building for the play-offs. To the guys, saying we have no one who has gone past the first round in the play-offs. You have to start some where.
Built for the playoffs, hopefully the team makes it there.....but being a lower seed means no advancement. DD
So does being a higher seed, apparently, since the Rockets have blown homecourt advantage two years in a row.
Wow AntiSonic, I actually agree with you. HCA is important but should be the key for Houston. It looks like we really play better on the road. I remember that Ron said something like 'Seed in the conference doesn't really matter'
Yeah, except that it does matter.....HC matters a lot..... Only one team in NBA history has won a championship without HC at any point in the playoffs.....ONE ! DD
But the Rockets really find it difficult to perform well at home. Maybe on the road they don't feel that pressure...? Obviously, hca should help because home is home, no matter what. But with Houston not feeling comfortable there... You know, only 2 teams in the history of the NBA have won 22 or more games in a row...
Playoff positioning is very important this year. Regardless of what has happened in the pass, it's important because you want to avoid playing the Lakers till WCF. I'm not saying we are a shoe in to be there but if you can avoid them, it's the best. All you can hope for is that another team can take them down or at least take them to the max. I do believe the Rockets can hold on till McGrady comes back. I think we should win more than lose during December. Barring any other injuries, I feel that this team should hit it's stride come January or February. But mark my words when I say that this team can't and will not win a championship without McGrady. Once McGrady comes back, this team might struggle a bit bring him back in but it's worth it.
So long as Mcgrady is on this team, we are rarely at a disadvantage on the road. He is one of the best road players the game has ever seen.
I dont think so. I think the only position we dont want is 8 (assuming la is 1). All the teams in the west are gonig to be tough.
Now you're just being mean. The Dallas Mavericks are one of the all-time great playoff teams. There's no way the Rockets should have been able to close out that group of clutch, gutsy veterans. waitaminute...
what the hell does this mean? are they telling Yao not to go clubbing in the Latin quarter so he won't shoot himself in the leg? and how long have you been on this board? how many years of losing are you going to take? so relax? i think we told JVG to relax all the way back to ESPN cause this team tends to relax in the playoffs.
