Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman just went in raw on the Rockets

We don't look like we can compete with the Pelicans.

 

We got worse in terms of talent, we got one year older, and we lost our defensive coach, which was the primary reason we were competitive with the Warriors last season.

We will be a good regular season team. Should easily still win 55-ish games. But I feel bad for anybody who talked themselves into this year being an upgrade over last year's team. It's just not. The Warriors will win fairly easily over this group, assuming health.

 

I would think the same thing, if I thought our GM was done with the roster, he is most certainly not.

 

I don't believe he is either. But I just thought it was strange how many people thought Melo and Ennis was a legitimate upgrade over Ariza and Luc.

 

My man Jsizzle is pushing back against the upgrade narrative.

I don't have the pessimism he has, but my biggest concern going into the season was that we wouldn't get the same fight we got last season. I said it in my post right after the loss. Last year was special. The way the team played so hard together is not often repeatable. You got everything you could out of guys like Tucker and Ariza from an effort level night in and night out. Harden, Paul, Capela, etc. Everything was clicking and they were trying so hard. That is often something that falls off.

 

"Effort is a skill"

 

Right. I wish I was not this pessimistic, but I'm having trouble avoiding it. As you said...last year was special. You don't just "run it back" and get the same kind of results. Virtually everything broke our way last year until Chris Paul's hamstring injury, which, frankly still is deflating to think about. I don't see how a dropoff wouldn't be expected. It literally took one game for them to come out flat and uninspired.

Once again...the Rockets are still going to be a solid team this year. I predict the 2 seed. But I view us pretty much only how we stack up against the Warriors at the moment, and we are further away than we were.

 

Idk if I legitamately thought that, I guess I was just trying to be hopeful haha.....

Yea that is true and I feel like the only way to offset that is to add more talent.

 

any Kellerman hot takes today? asking for @tinman