Rose colored? LOL - Gater you have been leading the "More athletes" brigade for the last couple of years. And yet, it is all just one big old opinion, no different than mine. You and others seem to think we are far away from contending, ignoring the facts...yes FACTS that they team has won 50 games two straight years, been in the top five in the western conference for 3 of the last 4 years and top 6 of the entire fricken league..... But of course that is all because we simply OUT WORK the other team, right? HOGWASH !!!!! I am of the mindset that while it would be great to have length and athleticism, it is more important to have people who understand their roles and play smart intelligent basketball..... I think it is more important that the TEAM play together, and a good solid TEAM can accomplish more than a group of athletes. Now I know you are not advocating bringing in a bunch of dummies that are simply athletes, and I am not accusing anyone of that.... What I am saying is that too much emphasis has been put on the fallacy of needing a third scorer or that the Rockets are somehow not athletic enough to win in this league. They are plenty athletic.....they just need HEALTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now you can argue that Yao and TMac are injury prone, and that is a valid point, but you can not go into a season and prepare for injury.... Do you think Boston wins this year if one of their big 3 was out? Me neither..... IMHO....and I guess you can drop the H......Scola can be that third scorer, especially when you combine him and Landry's stats, it is plenty good enough....... The team plays tough defense and has a top 5 that can compete on a night in and night out basis...and now we added Barry to the Bench replacing Luther head........a small but MONUMENTAL upgrade. This team is right there, and a coach that some people like to hold up as their standard says it best.... "You are what your record says you are" And that my friends is pretty DARNED GOOD !!!!!! I guess I am tired of hearing about how this team desperatly needs that 3rd scorer, when IMO we have 2 huge mismatches at the SG and C postition most every night, which can offset that need for another scorer. By the way since being inserted into the starting lineup in January, Scola averaged more than 13ppg...... and had many games over 18 points....AS A ROOKIE... Give us health, and the playoff successes will flow......at least that is how it looks through my Rocket red Rose colored glasses. DD
DDDDDDDDDDD................ I will give u one thing......u are very persistent in the face of adversity...lol No but really.......I said facts earlier so we are dealin with that....... And the fact still remains....no matter how many post i do or u do.......or any other bbs'er for that matter...........that we are a first round exit team....... we can debate in forums all day ..........but we are a first round team exit until we prove otherwise.....PERIOD............ but i will give u this........healthy and accounted for as is.....(still graspin at straws IMO, but lets just say it miraculously happens) we are a 50 plus win team and probably a TOP 5 western conference team this year......I truely believe this.........AS IS but i cant in my heart say that even with health we are ready for a championship run or even a western conference finals run this year.....my heart wont let me say it.....i could be wrong.....but thats just my opinion......... can u say that we are ready to contend for a title in all reality????....if your answer is yes than so be it...... And i know u think ron ron is a cancer and all and would hate for him to come..........but part of the reason i want him here as well......is to keep him from the lakers............becuz if they get there hands on this guy........it wont matter what tweaks or minor moves we do.......... we wont be comin out of the western confernece any time soon.........and u can book that.........
Not yes, but HELL YES ! 55 wins while learning a new system with 33% team turnover.....and missing your best player for 27 games......oh yes....yes yes. Way to go out on a limb, only one team comes out each year, and in the entire Rockets history, we have only come out of the conference round 4 times. I still think we advance this year, deep with health. DD
Well i think that stops our debating back and forth right there...........i finally get it and u wont hear me disputin anything else with u.........we are just on 2 seperate pages...thats all U are sayin we are a team primed to go deep in the playoffs.......ok i will prob give u that.....and by deep i guess u mean second round.....finally gettin the 1st round monkey off our back..........becuz u are sayin western confernece finals is askin alot from your above statement......... but I think we can go over the top and contend for a title with ron ron.....not a playoff run...of second round proportions.............thats my opinion.....so in all actuality its just a difference of expectations........ I think yao and tracy have a window thats closin and if we dont capitilize on this it will pass us by........
I don't think Ron Ron gets us any closer if we have to give up someone like Battier. And a deep playoff run to me means being a realistic contender for the conference championship. (Like being the number 1 seed with a healthy Yao ) You are right, I think we are championship contenders as assembled, and could become favorites with a decent trade for a good slasher or PG. (neither of which are Artest) We are indeed looking at the same situation from a different angle.... At the end of the day, it is all a matter of opinion anyway. DD
Looks like Artest is close to going to the Lakers I've been told by numerous reliable people that it could happen quickly and that the Kings have already received calls from some of the expected pursuers of the small forward. The Lakers rang with no call back as yet from the Kings, and it appears the pieces in that possible deal have not changed. The Lakers are willing to offer forward Lamar Odom, but the question is whether they're willing to take on the contract of forward Kenny Thomas (two seasons, approximately $18 million left). Of course, it has seemed before as if certain trades were inevitable and they either didn't happen or took months longer than expected, so who knows how this will play out. Odom works for the Kings in a number of ways, though, from his versatility that fits more with Geoff Petrie's offensive vision to the fact that his contract (for $14.5 million) is expiring. If the combo works, you try to lock Odom up next summer. If not, you have cap room earlier than expected and go from there. - Sam Amick DD
U have got to be kiddin on that...............why??? why would that distraught u so.....? What would u be losin on the court by tradin artest for battier???? I cant for the life of me figure that out to save my life???? we love shane for his great D...........Ron is just as good if not better a defender IMO.........so u dont lose there Scoring???......nope...........Ron can score at a higher clip than shane on a nightly basis...............so u dont lose there.......... The only thing u can even half debate is locker room presence....thats about it....and with Rons game i would be willin to bet winning would cure all......and take my chances If u would let shane stop u from trading for a player of Rons caliber u got one helluva man crush going on over there my friend..........there is definately love in the air DD <a href="http://smileyjungle.com"><img src="http://smileyjungle.com/smilies/love42.gif" border="0"></a>
For me it is more than just what happens on the floor it is a matter of chemistry, and playing your role correctly. Plus Ron only has one year left on his contract, and Shane is locked up at a reasonable price for a few more years. I think Ron is a cancer, a JR Rider. - Don't want unless it is an uber free type of deal. I would trade Shane for Mike Miller, or Travis Outlaw, or someone that I believe fits into the slashing/scorer role... I watched Artest a lot this year, and he is a ball stopper, he scores off the bounce, this team needs someone that scores off the pass....or slash.... DD
Lets be real for one second............. If u think Ron is a cancer....so be it....wont debate that....as its a opinion and u are entitled to it......... but u say hes a ball stopper...............ok.......but what we dont know is if that was the system they are runnin in sac.......and best suited to iso ron cuz of his strengh and him being the focal point of an offense........runnin it thru him as the best player on the floor.......... or forget that point altogether............. do u really think a player as athletically gifted and talented as Ron artest cant slash to the basket for easy buckets, or score of a tmac laser to him off a pass...........?????? do u really honestly in your mind think this top 10 guy in the league skill wise can not do this...........???????? look at the celts last year........everyone knows that the big 3 would have to sacrifice there game for the greater of the team......... Pierce was also a ball stopper till KG and Ray came to town........
If all you had to give up was Battier and scrubs for Artest, we should jump all over that. Artest is a better defender, a better slasher, a better rebounder. He is capable of taking over games. He can be the go to guy when McGrady is not on the floor, which is the number one need of this team. Artest gives Adelman much more flexibility than Battier. The fact that he has one more year on his contract is a plus not a minus. If the experiment doesn't work out, you have salary cap room. If it does work out, you will have an advantage in re-signing him. If we had the opportunity to keep this team in tact and get the back-up SG, that can take over the scoring load when McGrady is sitting or hurt then, of course, that would be preferable. That, however, does not look to be possible. To get the kind of impact player we need, it will take one of our current contributors.
DaDakota They are way more than a Brent Barry and a Landry re-signing from being an elite WC team. And YOU continue to overlook the huge personnel flaws they have. Right here and right now I'm throwing down the gauntlet. If you EVER under any circumstances make any post in the GARM, NBA Dish, D&D....anywhere....from now until the day after the 2009 Feb Trade Deadline to the effect that the Rockets don't have enough talent...you pay the tip jar $100. There are NO excuses....we didn't re-sign Landry, Yao and Scola have Olympic hangovers, McGrady's back Doc is on sabatical in Katmandu, Barry and Deke play older than you ever thought...ANY comment that they are talent deficient costs you a C-note. Agreed? On the unlikely aspect you do not make a talent gap comment, I'll pay the tip jar. Ball is in your court.
You my guitar playing friend are on......$100 to the greater good. I feel pretty good about it, you better start saving up. I am not sure what you mean about Olympic hangovers or injuries (which are not talent discussions at all), that is not a talent discussion................I will agree to talking about TALENT deficiencies in the players only. But injuries or reasons for poor play, are not part of the bet, agreed? GUANTLET ACCEPTED !!! DD
SMACKDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <a href="http://smileyjungle.com"><img src="http://smileyjungle.com/smilies/violent22.gif" border="0"></a>
"poor play" - so you mean that if you are wrong and they suck and play poorly - you still won't lose. DaDakota if you were builiding a submarine, you would give it a parachute.
Thats a great point... I say no to Artest personally. I just think our chemistry is too good and our ONLY limiting factor is health. I believe that when the Rockets are healthy and firing on all cylinders they're a top 3 team in this league.
Uhhhh, no just establashing the rules by which constitute the wager...you remember Sam being as that I stomped you in a wager earlier...... Just defining what "lack of skill" means concerning the wager.....I am not going to be held to some mythical standard about what is and is not a discussion about lack of skill. Injuries happen, being tired happens....neither constitute a deficiency in overall skill or talent. You should have learned your lesson already.....you lose when you bet the DD. DD
Artest is a beast in this sport, any team wants to win want to have him. The debate should be " how can we get him" or "on what price". I would give up anybody for him other than 1-11, yes anybody, even the combo of resigned Landry+Battier. Unfortunately my six sense tell me RonRon is going away...
we have 1 maaaybe 2 guys that are consistent and effective...unfortunately they are our most injury prone players...and after all of the years of dissapointment i say we get a big name in here and get him in here NOW...
awesome...by how you describe this "dynasty" i would have AT THE VERY LEAST expected a second round appearence... i agree, do you not think Artest would understand his role here !?!? i say Artest is smart with or without the ball... What I am saying is that too much emphasis has been put on the fallacy of needing a third scorer or that the Rockets are somehow not athletic enough to win in this league. tom-ay-toes, tom-ah-toes...you say we need to go in NOT expecting an injury prone season, but WE are telling you to EXPECT that because of what's happened in the past...tell me - when we had an injury free season, what happened !?!? did we win !?!? please explain this to me...if it has happened so regularly since the T-Mac and Yao era, how do you make yourself believe that "for this one season" it isn't gonna happen !?!? yes, they were dominant even when KG went down temporarily...they were blowing teams out with 2 scorers, and athletic ass team and the best defense in the league...why did they keep winning !?!?! BECAUSE THEY HAD 2 OTHER LEGIT SCORERS/ALLSTARS TO PICK UP THE SLACK !!!!!!! PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS !!!!!!! i don't doubt that Scola can be a 15 and 9 guy, but to say that he needs Landry next to him to perform is rediculous...i hope Landry walks this year... somewhere Yao's foot/knee and Tracy's back/shoulder are looking at you dead in the eye and asking you for forgiveness... completely agree...i hope Barry works out for the best !!!! so in other words the Rockets are middle of the pack as far as Western Playoff Teams go...you're right...and the current roster will not get us over the hump...not this year and definately not next year... if you're satisfied with a "pretty good" team, that's on you...i don't believe Morey, the fans, Adleman, Mac and Yao are playing for an NBA "Pretty Good Championship" pray for it cuz if i remember correctly, we haven't had a healthy team in about 3 years...and it will only get worse as our players get older my friend...
It will be a dynasty unless they play too poorly to win - in which case he may not be held liable for the consequences.
