Playoff games tend to be more half court games as opposed to run and gun. Teams put out more effort on defense and get back on defense better. Teams that do well during the regular season running an up tempo offense may have problems in the playoffs if forced to play a half court game.
Not contenders or pretenders. Just a young team learning their way and putting the pieces together to become a contender in the near future. Nothing more nothing less.
I'm not mad at all. Just think of it as now we're good enough to be seen as a "Pretender" (Good to make playoffs but cannot contend). Don't see why all of you are getting upset about this.
Seriously, this is a top 7 playoff team in the West. Yes, the Rockets are contenders for the NBA championship. It would be naive to think otherwise. This is a team without a discernible weakness on the floor, except a PF position that needs to focus on rebounding, which is possible with Patterson if he puts his mind to it, but impossible with the softer, shorter, short-armed Morris.
The fact that the Rockets are even considered pretenders is a great compliment at this stage in our development and rebuilding process.
ESPN is terrible. Let's knock on the Rockets for claiming to be something they never said they were. They're a young team trying to get better and build chemistry. Their goal is to make the playoffs. Their marketing slogan is A New Age. Not It's Time.
We're contenders. The only team that will give us a hard time is SAS and OKC. I think the Rockets have a good chance to beat Miami given a second chance. Wade and Bosh are really slowing up this season and they're losing to some really bad teams like Detroit. They even lost to Milwaukee, though they are pretty good with Jennings and Ellis. I'd say we're the third best team out in the west. I think we're better than the Clippers, but SAS and OKC is going to be tough. If we play the way we did since the Toronto game, namely running teams out of the building, we can be a big surprise, like the 1995 championship when everyone wrote Houston out. The media loves writing us out.
I am not going out on a limb here by saying that if we play the Heat in the finals, which is already not going to happen in most scenarios, they have a legitimate chance of sweeping us off the floor. And Harden will most likely never have a playoff year like Hakeem either. Both of Hakeem's championship runs might just be second to nobody. Don't compare 1995 to 2013: they are much different.
This remind me of the 22 game winning streak. ESPN asked if we were PRETENDERS OR CONTENDERS. Surprisingly, the analyst said that we are contenders. Sadly, we lost in the playoffs. So much for being contenders. Now going back on topic, we are pretenders as of right now. Once we get the perfect Power Forward for our team, we should become contenders in a couple of years.
Don't compare to 1995? Okay, we're 2003 Detroit Pistons. 2 fast guards. We're could also be the 1972 Knicks, Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe.
You're also thinking about the Heat in last year's context. the Heat of this year is not last year. They have lost a step in Wade and Bosh. The Rockets have a chance to beat them. I still think that OKC and SAS are going to be tough.
the heat??? wow im all for optimism but chill out. If we make the playoffs, we would most likely play SAS, OKC, or LAC. they would smoke us in the playoffs. people get wayy too high on this team when they are doing good, then those same ppl bash them when they have a couple of bad games.
I will say this, had we been in the Eastern conference, we'd have a shot. Those guys are weak, but in the Western conference the playoffs are a gauntlet and if the Rockets make it through due to the lack of defense, they are likely to get knocked out just like the Thunder were.
You guys are way too pessimistic on the Rockets. I have never bashed the team when they lost, except of course when Mchale benched Lin on the Dallas game, and Sampson on the Portland game. Now things are the way it supposed to be, I think the Rockets have a chance. First, Miami almost lost to us when the team wasn't constructed correctly. Now that we are, we can beat the Heat this year. We will probably lose to the Heat with the team this year vs last year's Heat. But this year, Wade and Bosh lost a step. OKC and Spurs are going to be tough. But also remember when we lost to Spurs on a 3rd game in 4 nights and OKC on a 4th game in 5 nights. Even the Spurs have a tough time beating a regular team on a 4th game in 5 night scenario. Look at tonight's game. Right now, the Spurs are losing to the Knicks by 23 points. Tonight is the Spurs 4th game in 5 night. Normally, the Spurs would eat the Knicks for lunch, the same way Rockets ate the Knicks for lunch. We have a team guys, we are contenders. Just watch.
Come on, don't be a homer, you really think this year's team can take down the Spurs or the Thunder in a 7 game series.... we are abosolutely killed by the spurs and thunder in 5 tries this year.... did you see those games, we played decent ball we still lost....
Yes, I said SAS and OKC is tough, but we can still beat them. I think Houston can beat Miami pretty easily because Wade and Bosh lost a step since last year. Remember, when we were IN THE GAME with SAS last week, and SAS got a day's rest, whereas we had a 3rd game in 4th night. OKC was the 4th game in 5th night. Even SAS can't survive a 4th game in 5th night scenario as I am witnessing right now. The Spurs are getting killed by the Knicks, a mediocre team at best. We killed them twice. SAS could easily eat Knicks alive. Portland beat them, the old Lakers could beat them. We can beat the Heat. OKC and SAS would be tough, but we can beat them if we have some days off in between. Playoffs, we always get a day off in between games. We are contenders guys. Don't be so reactionary and pessimistic.
We're not contenders, but aint nothing wrong with where we are at right now. Think anyone wants to actually face us in a 7 game series? I doubt we'll win because of our pace, but whoever beats us is gonna be tired and sore as hell for the next series
