For all of those homers who proclaim the Rockets are the best team in the league, can we at least play a game before such ridiculous claims are made? No one knows what is going to happen next year so chill with the 'we're the best team in the league'? Sheesh
Its gonna be: Rockets: Yao. Tmac, Artest!!! Need i say more? With Scola, Battier, Alston, Barry n Francis n maybes Landry n Mutombo, this makes the Rockets a deep team and with complete aresenal on defense n offense. With hustle and physical players in Scola, Hayes, Battier n ofcourse Artest that brings defense n above average offense. Superstars on offense with Yao n Tmac, I just dont see any flaws with this team and compete for championship with Celtics, as long as they stay healthy. Not too worried about Artest because he played under Adelman which should keep him under control. Spurs: Still got the core and experience. Jazz: Same as last year. Hornets: Got slightly better with Posey, but not as good as Rockets now. Fakers: Same as last year. Phoenix: Just not the same team anymore. Coach gone and with horrible trade for Shaq n giving up Marion, I dont see this team win that many games. But they still have Amare, Nash, Bell, Hill n Diaw to atleast make the playoffs. Mavs: Suprisingly slow offseason. No new players added to help the team n with aging Kidd, I see them finishing 7th or maybe even 8th, only because rest of the Wester conference teams not mentioned above sucks. Warriors: Lost Davis but they still have a above average PG. No defense, but run n gun offense can help enough games to win to make the playoffs.
Why not?? Look at our team!!! Even without Yao, Rockets made serious noise last season. This year Rockets even got better with Artest, which imo was the missing piece. He brings the attitude, defense n 3rd scorer that rockets needed. Scola is just gonna be better than last year. Added veteran guard in Barry to upgrade our bench. Rockets claim that Yao n Tmac r gonna be 100% healthy n with that Yao, Scola, Artest, Tmac n Alston with bench so far of Battier, Barry, Hayes, Francis n Brooks with maybes Landry n Mutombo makes this team dangerous!! All this with proven great coach i dont see why this team cant win it all!!
What's strange to me is that most of these sports journalists right now are putting the Rockets where I would have put them BEFORE the Artest trade (assuming they were healthy). A healthy Rockets squad even without Artest is at least a top 3-4 team. We should definitely be atop several lists now... but I guess I can see how injuries, and repeated 1st-round disappointments have left people reluctant to put us that high. We've got some shizz to prove this year, and we're gonna prove it, baby...!
If we stay healthy I believe we will be the best team in the league. I know thats a big if but thats the way it is. Look what Boston big 3 did and I belive we have a better big 3 the only thing that can stop us come this season is HEALTH.
West: Lakers Rockets Jazz Hornets Spurs Suns Blazers Mavs East: Celtics Pistons Raptors 76ers Magic Cavs Wizards Bulls
West- Lakers Rockets Hornets Spurs Jazz Clippers Blazers Mavs/Suns/GSW (Probably the suns because Amare is a beast) Denver died when they lost the only player that knew had to play defense on their team. Iverson or Carmelo are goingt o want out next offseason. East- Celtics Pistons Raptors 76ers(If and only IF they can get Iguadola) Cavs Orlando Wizards Hawks/Knicks/Bucks/Nets (Probably Hawks if they can resign Josh Smith)
I would consider that highly unlikely if it wasn't already impossible (as far as seeding goes). The three division winners are guaranteed a top 4 spot in the seedings, so Houston, New Orleans, and San Antonio cannot all be in the top 3 spots. I also think the Lakers are better than the Spurs and the Hornets. Before we see how things look in the season, this is how I would seed the west: 1. Lakers 2. Rockets 3. Hornets 4. Jazz 5. San Antonio 6. Pheonix 7. Portland 8. Dallas
There depth is a major issue for them especially in the ultra tough western conference now that pargo has bolted to san antonio.. as for there injuries, the same can be said for utah or the spurs. you take boozer or deron out and they'll miss the playoffs. atleast the hornets got more reinforcement then some of the teams in the west. peja goes down, peterson and posey will compensate for it. however for them if west goes down, there screwed. Simply because there very thin up front. Incase of injuries, i think there better suited to handel it then utah or the spurs. thats why i rate them as the third team in the west.
I still don't get why New Orleans is #3. Sure they went past the 1st round, but they were also at full strength.
Poor Chicago get #1 draft pick Derrick Rose and pay Luol Deng $71 million 6-year deal (possibly $81 million), and they don't even get in the top 8 in the East.
Because they have James Posey! That guy is something... and something isn't overrated that's for sure. He gets just the right amount of media coverage that he deserves. That Posey. Such a character... Loyal too. Winning a championship and moving on to another team for more money and possibly another championship. Model citizen.
