1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

The measuring sticks of how good this team might actually be.

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Sweet Lou 4 2, Mar 9, 2008.

  1. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347
    It's hard to believe that after losing Yao Ming we could be a contender - much of our 18 game win streak was with Yao. But the win against New Orleans has to make us take pause and ask if we might just be improving still and we're actually that good.

    So how can we tell? Our offense looks amazing, Rafer is playing great D, and everyone seems to be playing at the top of their game. Fluke or real?

    So I've come up with 4 measuring sticks of teams we'll have to do well against in the coming weeks - teams that should in theroey exploit our weaknesses of the past - and either bring us down to earth, or make us for sure the team to beat.

    1. Phoenix. Yes Phoenix. Because as much as people are dogging on them, they still have the most saviest player in the game in Nash, surrounded by great shooters, a finishing pf, and in Shaq a dominating post player who probably will raise his game come playoff time. The key question will be can we stop Shaq? He's old, but with no Yao, and only Mutombo - can we keep the monster off the boards and from getting easy buckets.

    Phoenix, unlike Denver plays like a team - and they will be a huge test for our Defense.

    2. Utah - this team has been giving us fits of late - both with their excellent offensive execution, and stifling D. The key here is will Rafer be able to handle Deron, and can our new amazing offense still manage to keep it's fluidity against a top notch defense that has given us fits for a while.

    3. San Antonio - Can we beat the King of the hill while they are at the top of their game? Denver and Phoenix can. So it's all the more reason we have to as well - again without Yao. If we can beat them sans Yao - it means we don't need the post of game as much to beat a team with the ultimate post player.

    4. The Lakers. Gasol will present a massive problem for us. He's got height, quickness and shooting range - and Mutmobo is way to slow to guard him. So that leaves a bunch of short guys. Not only that, the Lakers will run on us and play outstanding team D - but if Phil Jackson can't derail us - then that's definitely a good sign.


    4 wins and I think we are in excellent shape. 2-2 and i think it's questionable. Anything less and I don't know if we measure up.

    The big questions to me are can we maintain the D against these polished team offenses - and will we be able to counter the great post players these teams have? Who will step up? Can williams make an impact?
     
  2. t_mac1

    t_mac1 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2008
    Messages:
    26,614
    Likes Received:
    211
    2-2 is questionable? u do know that phoenix has a 6-15 record v. the top 8 teams or something like that. we are .500. the lakers are pretty good with a 13-9 record.

    so going 2-2 in a 5 game in 6 night stretch -> i would say is great.
     
  3. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347

    I am just saying it doesn't answer the question - I won't know how good we are - maybe it means we are just on par with those teams. I'd have to watch the games and see.

    But if we go 4-0, then it sends a very clear signal me thinks. I hope that helps to clarify.
     
  4. dookiester

    dookiester Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2003
    Messages:
    1,829
    Likes Received:
    599
    not trying to be rude, but you're not really going out on a limb here. its just about one step short of saying 'winning the championship would show how good this team really is'
     
  5. cujo

    cujo Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2002
    Messages:
    4,895
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    2-2 will tell me this team is a contender for sure. They definitely gotta win their home games.
     
  6. zforrest

    zforrest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2007
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    0
    lol ownage
     
  7. bbjai

    bbjai Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    1,693
    Likes Received:
    11
    The lakers are the only team i fear, if Bynum comes back they are a nightmare. They have matchup problems for us everywhere. None bigger then 6-10 Lamar Odom at Small forward. Who the hell is going to guard him?
    T-mac?
    Battier?

    And as mentioned before whos guarding Gasol!!! I am semi confident about Scola on him though.
     
  8. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347

    I see, so beating four good teams in the regular season is the same as winning the championship?

    :rolleyes:
     
  9. metal

    metal Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2007
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    2
    hayes/scola on pau.....
    deke on byrum and wags his finger all night long :cool:
     
  10. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    9,908
    Likes Received:
    4,692
    Two weeks ago we had a clear measuring stick for how good our team might actually be without Yao. They were

    1. Denver at home. See how we can do without our best player against a hungry team just behind us in the standings, overflowing with talent but short on will (to play defense).

    2. Dallas away. Dallas has made a mockery of our matchup the past three years, and it wasn't just at their place where they have the best home record in the league this year (until we DESTROYED them).

    3. New Orleans at home. We beat them by twenty at their place, but that was with Yao killing them in the post. They were going to be angry about that and had even more to play for with their spot as the third seed in the playoffs on the line.

    And now, after all that, some "Rockets fan" still has the gall to mention measuring sticks??? This post reeks of media bias, the idea that no matter what the Rockets do it will never be enough until we win a playoff series, no wait...


    NEW MEASURING STICKS FOR THE ROCKETS IN 08:


    1. Win a playoff series

    2. Win the championship

    3. Ride the team bus to Jordan's house and beat him in a game of pickup.


    Seriously, man, take your measuring sticks and just go home.
     
  11. jasonemilio

    jasonemilio Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    4,404
    Likes Received:
    48
    And the poster child for the Jazz's stifling and hard-nosed D:

    [​IMG]
     
  12. metal

    metal Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2007
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    2
    LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!good one
     
  13. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347

    Lakers and Spurs are definitely the favorite to make it to the finals. All four of these teams play great basketball at both ends of the court with perhaps Phoenix which is struggling defensively.

    I think it will be interesting to see how we do against these four teams when they are at the top of their game and we are at the top of ours. It's not so much if we win or lose, but just seeing if they are able to disrupt our rhytm or not - that's what i am curious about.
     
  14. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347

    When your measuring stick is a team that wouldn't make the playoffs today, a team that didn't make the playoffs last year and without a key player, and another team that was without it's BEST player - seems to me that your sticks aren't measuring squat.

    If you don't like the fact that some of us are still not sure....and that the whole media is against us unfairly ( :rolleyes: ) - than you can live in that world. But as someone who watches every Rocket game I can for the past 20 odd some years, I don't think there's anything wrong with waiting to see how we play against the best before i coronate these guys champions.
     
  15. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    9,908
    Likes Received:
    4,692
    The point isn't to coronate the guys as champions. Remember the T-mac quote, "What more do we got to show you?". That's the point.

    If you've watched the past two month's games, then you know EXACTLY how good these Rockets are, and that answer is that we can beat anyone on any given night. The rest of it, the results, we'll have to wait for. But for now please don't say "well if we lose that game then we're obviously not contenders" because those guys deserve more than that. They have proven to me at least that they have learned how to win, how to win consistently, and how to let nothing deter them from their goal of trying to win.

    If they don't win it all, then they don't, they'll be an even better team next year, but for now can we all just PLEASE appreciate what we're witnessing? There may never again be a Rockets winning streak like this in our lifetimes, and even when it ends, watching this team battle night in and night out will be enough for me.
     
  16. TheBornLoser

    TheBornLoser Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2007
    Messages:
    1,393
    Likes Received:
    46
    Hell, I think the Wolves and the 76ers can beat the Spurs, the Suns, the Jazz and the Lakers.

    The ball is round old chap. Anything can happen in a game.
     
  17. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    39,200
    Likes Received:
    20,347
    Like I said, it's not about if we win or lose those games only if you read my post - it's whether or not these teams are able to interfere with our offensive flow. We don't know that yet. No one is not appreciating what these guys accomplished.

    But man - you have to understand, we lost our best player and have gone from a 19-19 team to have an 18 game winning streak.

    I'm telling you we're in uncharted waters here. I have never seen something like this - I'm just saying we don't know. It's insane. We're all trying to figure out what's going on - yes, we're all happy, but i'm not going to claim we're "contenders" until we see if our offensive issues are truly solved.

    Now, I saw some things that worried me the past few games when t-mac went to the bench. You better bet your birches that the scouts are watching the Rockets and seeing the same things. If Phil Jackson or Greg Popovich are able to exploit that - and they will try - it could be too much for us to overcome.

    Thats why we have to see. And I think the answer will come sooner then the playoffs - because they will see if they can disrupt our offensive game through various tactics.

    It's not so much we win or not - although that's a good gauage - it's how successful they are in disturbing our offense - because there are other factores that will determine if we win or not as well (fatigue, shooting, some guy getting hot or not)...so looking beyond that at other things will give us a guage.

    Right now I simply do not know. Why is that so hard for you to deal with?
     
  18. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,528
    Likes Received:
    1,011
    Even if the Rockets don't beat some of the teams above, and even get eliminated in the 2nd Round or WCF - 1st round of playoffs in 7 games or so. It really shows how much the team has improved and next year might be our banner year.... I believe.

    If we do well against the likes of Spurs and Lakers this year.

    Things to consider:

    Rick Adelman's first season as head coach....

    Offense has not been perfected, yet.

    Injured Yao Ming

    Young players, like Landry, Scola, and Brooks are in their 1st NBA season.

    There won't be alot of adjustments next year.

    We would've had competitive series against the top flight teams of the conference even though we are not at full strength
     
  19. BackNthDay

    BackNthDay Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,570
    Likes Received:
    469
    Odom has problem , because the shots go through Kobe and Gasol. So please have Kobe check Tmac he wil have no energy at the end. I'm not worried by 6'9" Tmac checking Lamar weed head Odom
     
  20. fleshbody

    fleshbody Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2007
    Messages:
    344
    Likes Received:
    1
    dude you made me laugh big time :D :D :D
     

Share This Page