To be fair, if we had the worst roster in NBA history with Ha Seung-Jin as our best player, people on clutchfans would still predict we'd be in the playoffs.
I was in full tank mode. But by the middle of November it was clear to me we were headed for the 8th playoff spot or 14th pick again. We exceeded that.
I always knew baby Roox going to the playoffs, I just never said it, does that count for some rep pts? For being a cool guy? Pls?
This is so true. I didn't think we would even come close to being a .500 team. But I was unaware of how great a coach McHale is.
My optimistic ass predicted us to be #1! Jk.. predicted a 5-8th seed when harden dropped 38-45 in 2 games. I was an instant believer since.
Yeah we know... The day after the Nuggets just got to 50, you claimed that Karl would've had a record of 50-24 with our roster as well. Laughable...
My friend and I discussed it the other night after we clinched. I basically said we wouldn't (even after the Harden trade), and that the only way we would is if someone had a huge breakout season. At the time I assumed it would be one of our rookies. I'm happy to be wrong.
I said we would be a 7 seed. I never posted this though, so I guess there is no proof on Clutchfans...
Didn't really give us a chance making the finals. Never even thought about it back then. As shocked as I am that we made it, I'm equally shocked that the LAL, Mavs & Warriors are in the postitions they are in (like Rick said).
I thought we'd be hovering high 30s, low 40s post-Harden. I wouldn't mind a bubble year since the whole roster was blown up with little babies and there was zero to no chemistry at the start of the year. Lin with his injury was a question mark. Chicago media pretty much wrote off Asik because he couldn't score squat. And our lineup outside of parsons was unproven. If anything this was a year of our lotto forwards to come out and tear things up... The Lakers implosion and Dirk's "season ending" injury helped things but the success and excitement came out of nowhere for me. I think the TMac debacle hardened me over Harden's breakout success.
I remember saying we had a strong chance for playoffs, not guaranteed but that we would be in the running.
I seem to recall a thread with a poll where we got to vote whether we'd make the playoffs and what seed we'd be. I recall voting seed 7 or 8, but maybe I hallucinated that memory. I should become a contributing member so that I can search my posting history just to be sure! I also recall in the "Fire McHale" thread that I predicted a 44-38 record. No matter, we're in the playoffs, and I couldn't be happier!!
It was true though. The guys you listed didn't necessarily say he could start rather that Jeremy belonged in the league. Big caveat in the context of that thread. During the time of that post there was controversy that he didn't deserve an average starter's salary. If they really wanted to defend Lin, they would've said Lin was a legit starter in the league. And I would totally admit that I was wrong in implying that I thought Jeremy won't be great. Early last year post injury, I thought his basement was 6th man. His best years are yet to come.
Roster without Harden- 30 wins at best With Harden- 38-39 wins and that was being optimistic. Hell, all I wanted was to find a star one way or another for this season. The season was a success once we got Harden and shaved 2 years off the rebuild.
I'm surprised a lot of you guys were so pessimistic even after getting Harden. Him + Lin + Asik immediately made us a legit team.
The Rockets will probably win 46 games this season, 3 games more than I predicted. What I did not foresee was the crumbling of the Lakers and the Mavericks. If they had been their perennial playoffs selves, the Rockets would have been fighting for the last playoffs spot with Golden State and might have ended up as the best non-playoffs team yet again.
