Don't feel like the lone stranger, Rocket's fans. The injury bug is spreading across the league. Interestingly, the teams in front of us are hard hit. Duncan may be out for the regular season, Nash is still hobbled, Allen is limping, among others who are dinged up. At this stage of the season, injuries take their toll and depth is key. This is gut check time, and the team that best survives its injuries may have an open path to the championship. Can the Rockets rally and compensate for the loss of Howard. This will probably end up being the key to the season. So far the "stars" have not stepped up. The door is opening, but which team will be able to walk through? Clearly, the best team in the West is vulnerable. Who will take advantage?
I think the Rockets would settle for making it to the NBA finals in a heartbeat. Winning the West alone would blow away my expectations for the season. These key injuries are opening up a window of opportunity for some Western team. It could be the Rockets or will the Horward injury keep them from taking advantage?
Those injuries won't do us a favor, if our team can't make good plays. As long as Rockets play in the level that they were in last 2 weeks, they can beat anyone in the West, whether they are healthy or not.
The real problem is T-Mac, because Yao is thankfully healthy. We have other concerns, but T-Mac is the top concern. T-Mac is injured, nursing various injuries (back, foot, groin, whatever else) and he is putting up MAJOR minutes through these injuries. If someone can't see how much of his elevation he has lost from the beginning of the season, then someone hasn't been watching. If we have Popovich as a head coach, I guarantee you he would have rested T-Mac a good portion of the next few games, to have him ready come playoff time. But JVG for some odd reason keeps saying things like "I don't believe playing 30 odd minutes or 40 odd minutes makes much a different in fatiguing a player"! I am baffled by that unrealistic position he has on playing McGrady big minutes. Now I understand the Rockets don't have that luxury since they are only a few games ahead of their opponents, but even if we make it into the playoffs with our best player fatigued/nursing injuries that keep getting worst, then what the hell is the point? Do you know how grueling the postseason is? He won't last for too long with these nagging injuries. And as far as some people suggesting T-Mac taking the ball inside more, NO THANKS! I won't want to have him pound his body even more this late in the season. I am more than happy with his jump shot. I don't want his body to break down or have him risk a major injury this late in the year.
the rox will be fine... they just have to get serious seems like every 2 weeks or so, this team gives itself a wake up call by losing a game they should have won but in all fairness Boston is a hot team - and minny NEEDED (and wanted) that win more than Houston
If Rockets had clinched the playoff now, I am sure JVG would have sat TMac more. With team's current status and the remaining schedule, if Tmac plays only 30+ minutes, there is big risk that Rockets won't make the playoff. If that happens, everybody including Tmac will blame JVG. So I don't think JVG has much choice at this point.
I think it is a foregone conclusion that the Rockets will make the playoffs, that only thing yet to be determined is the seeding.
we were a hot team too when facing boston as for minny i have to agree that they wanted the win, but we needed the win just as much in our own playoff positioning battle(favorable matchups be damned i want the rockets to be the highest seed possible they should be scared of facing any team in a 7-game series if they are supposedly championship contenders) as for the injuries i think the teams that benefit the most are clearly the suns who more than likely will secure HC advantage for all of the western conference playoff series and Detriot and Miami who imo are the only real threats to being able to beat the spurs in a 7-game series. (i think we have a shot but since we haven't played the spurs with our new roster yet and of course the next game they wont by 100% either so that really doesnt tell anything, but for right now i have to give the nod to the spurs for their amazing execution and discipline on both ends of the court) after tonights heats/rockets game i can get a better understanding as to how far our team as truly come. too bad the games against the detroit this year both came in november
