It seems that many Rocket fans get in their feelings when members of the National media or anyone for that matter publicly doubts that the Rockets are true title contenders. I've been a huge Rocket fan for the better part of 35yrs and hearing our team hated on hurts, but what their saying seems to be true. Watched part of the Spurs vs. OKC game as I grew tired of the torture involved in watching the Nuggets beat us down at home. As I watched I couldn't help but think this Rockets team is not even close in the level of play and the execution demonstrated by the Spurs and OKC. NOT CLOSE. Many will claim this to be a knee-jerk thread, but I promise it's not. I didn't want to admit that we got lucky last year to make it to the WCF because we all know we weren't supposed to be there. This team has serious defensive issues with or without Dwight in the line up as demonstrated in the playoffs last year. We still run the most predictable offense in the league with a coach who seems to routinely be over matched by his counterpart. We still have a 3 point shot driven strategy with nearly no really good 3 point shooters. TJ is still soft as wet tissue and we still turn the ball over at an alarming rate. My point here is we all get offended when others doubt our chances at winning a title, but it's time to be realistic. Watch how the warriors dismantle us Friday. Watch a couple of the true contenders in the West on league pass when you get a chance. I promise if you take the homer glasses off you will clearly see a difference.
It was pretty painful last night. It was even worse when watching the OKC vs Spurs game and realizing how good our competition is this year.
Struggles are part of the journey, my friend. You don't have to like them, but you'll love it when you overcome them.
Didn't read. But trade them all. I wonder if Dwight/Harden could net us Russell. Lakers wouldn't be that dumb though.
No. I am as a neutral person as anyone can find in this forum and I completely disagree. The disrespect is there from national media, other teams' fans ,journalists and it is NOT well earned at all. Meanwhile there are a few teams that are repeatedly and consistently beeing overhyped and overrated year after year after year. Morrey should already have won several executive of the year awards, DMO should be in the conversation for MIP (noone noticed him!) and Dwight should at least seriously flirt with an all star spot. But the Rockets are consistently forgotten and barely mentioned like they barely exist. One has only to look at the rosters alone, to put Houston this year in the discussion of championship contenders. I have heard only three respected journalists and analysts include them though. On the other hand I find that this board is very sensitive to any kind of critisism that may be well meant or be an honest stylistic opinion. (ie Lowe putting them low in the League pass list for neutral fans to watch).
DMo will be rusty when he gets back. We can't play Howard long minutes. We need big man help pretty fast. Hindsight-- but we should have kept Josh Smith (he plugged up many of our hoes last year) and traded TJones. TJones is a tweener, he will never be able to compete with elite 4s nor shoot or defend as well as most NBA 3s.
True or not.....fair or not....the disrespect doesn't change unless we win. Bottomline. In that regard I agree with the OP, fans should quit whinning about the media. Just win and shut them up. Until then there's no basis for saying the disrespect should stop whether it's warranted or not. That's just sports media and fandome.
Tell me what other perceived contender loses their opener at home by 20 to a team that probably won't make the playoffs (although we made them look like they have a shot)?
They absolutely have to take preparation more seriously. Feels like the entire preseason and training camp was wasted. They weren't prepared to compete last night and that was obvious. Injuries or no injuries, get on the court and prepare.
100% agree OP. This team should not be taken seriously after last night. Title contenders don't play like that. Title contenders may lose games they shouldn't or to inferior teams, but they don't play like that. Hopefully last night was a wake up call to them all because they are not as good as they thought they were.
just working the bugs out david thorpe believes! http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13947464/nba-espn-experts-predictions-2015-16-nba-champions
Good point. I switched to the OKC/SAS game on ESPn during commercials and I was envious of them. They came out ready to play. Well tuned machines. Crisp ball movement, cutting and getting open looks. Solid defensive schemes. We came out with no energy and just expected to stroll through. While we force every ****ing shot, just jack up 3's at a very low rate all night long and don't play a lick of D. But then again they have two top coaches, two brilliant tacticians and strategists, while we have one of the worst 3 coaches in the league.
Billy Donovan is a top coach, a brilliant tactician and strategist? You are basing this on....what, exactly? He was a good college coach. But how many college coaches have we seen that weren't good NBA coaches. Who knows, he might end up being a great NBA coach. But there is absolutely no way you can say that at this point
Well look at the Bulls and how little they achieved during the ROSE era although being in a piss poor division. Since 2008 they have gotten to the ECF one time, all the rest of the years they have fizzled out by the 1st or 2nd round however each and every year experts rating them so highly. Tired of hearing it and not seeing them do s***.. I guess my point is the media is biased towards larger markets, it's not all about performance.
Look at his track record as a coach. He is a winner. He was magic at Florida. He knows strategy. He knows ball movement. He knows how to runplays. He knows X's and O's. He is not just a roll the ball out and "play harder" "clap clap" coach. I would take Billy Donovan over McHale any day. People like you said the same thing about Steve Kerr last season. That he hasn't coached in the NBA and you can't tell how good he is. The dude went on to win 67 games and streamroll to the title. I'm sorry but some of us can recognize a competent coach when we see one.
I agree with the Bulls always being hyped. I just don't see them being better than the Rockets. OP, lets at leastwait 5-8 games before we start claiming the sky is falling.
