Haven, I think it is IMPOSSIBLE that if we get in the playoffs that we will beat the Lakers in a 5 game series where we won't have home court advantage. We would probably lose the first 2 games and win the next game before losing the series, since the Lakers can't close people out. Dr. I hope your being sarcastic.
Lilstevie: you're assuming we play the Lakers. As I see it, it very well may be a 3 team race for the 8 seed between Seattle, Dallas, and Houston... but what if Webber or Garnet is hurt? Very suddenly, the 7 seed is open to Houston. I don't think Houston could defeat LA in 5, but I think there's a chance of defeating the #2 seed... which won't be Portland, since they're also in the Pacific. I think Houston is very capable of defeating Utah or SA if they get lucky in a 5 game series. I doubt Houston will make the second round... I'm not certain they'll make the playoffs... but it's not beyond the realm of rationality. ------------------ [This message has been edited by haven (edited August 01, 2000).]
Haven, I think you are being a little too optimistic and hopeful. I too, hope the Rockets could make the 2nd round of the playoffs, but not at the expense of Garnett or Webber being injured for a long period of time. But in reality we would be lucky to be in the playoffs let alone reach the second round. That is why I said that another year in the lottery wouldn't hurt too bad. Maybe we could pull a Charlotte, when they had the best record of all the lottery teams and got the 3rd pick. ------------------ Kobe would be nothing without Shaq.
LilStevie: we all have the same wish at heart here ... the Rockets being in the championship. I just can't get excited about the lottery again... after collier. Besides, my girlfriend made me eat a huge plate of crow after Utah made the 2nd seed, and Houston was #9 in the lottery . ------------------
And don't underestimate the loss of back-up point guard Bobby Jackson of the Twolves. Should the Rockets trade Bryce Drew to a division rival? ------------------ "Your not a real member of CC.net unless you have 1000 posts"
Haven, I agree with your opinion on Collier, I mean what were the Rockets thinking. They always seem to mess up a high pick, but get lots of steals with picks outside of the lottery(Dickerson, Mobely, Cassell). But if the Rockets manage to get a high lottery pick, it would be hard to go wrong with Eddy Curry or Loren Woods. ------------------ Kobe would be nothing without Shaq.
"Guys I love the Rockets, but get real alaskansnowman, we ain't making it to the 2nd round. "-LilStevie Yeah, I said that we might make it to the 2nd round, that is if we make the playoffs at all. BUT Haven has some good points. The Rockets were a playoff calibur team towards the end of last season. If they continue like that, which I think they will especially with the improvement of Cato, Francis, Mobley, etc., then they will be a playoff team. And if Langhi contributes and Collier finds his groove, then we'll have an even better chance at the playoffs. ------------------ president of the dan langhi fan club.
Bob*-Don't underestimate the fact they more than adequately replaced him with Chauncey Billups. ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better. Collier is Seven Foot and Left Handed. How can you go wrong? Trade or bench Kenny Thomas.
Based on the draft and expected improvement of the current roster, the Rockets look to be about a 45 game winner. To get a better record and better playoff seed, it will depend on how CD and Rudy have mapped out the future for the Rockets. 1. Use the trade exception + a future draft choice + perhaps some of the current roster and get a front court player that is an improvement over the current player at that position. That will mean that there aren't any definite plans to acquire major free agents in coming years. 2. Let the current roster ride, keep draft choices and let the trade exception expire to save cap space for future free agents and/or deals in 2001 and beyond. Choice #1 is NOW and the near future while #2 is just letting things simmer for the future. Does the ability/inability of Chicago and Orlando to restructure their teams this summer influence the Rockets decision for #1 or #2? Do Rudy and CD make that decision independent of outside results? Mango ------------------ 1. Put new topics in the proper forum 2. Use clear wording for new threads 3. No duplicate threads 4. Conduct yourself as an adult The Serious Police are watching Donate Blood or be assimilated!
ahhh, forgot about that transaction Puma, thanks for clearing that up Drew stays now!!! ------------------ "Your not a real member of CC.net unless you have 1000 posts"
The current playoff teams maybe better than us in terms of team standing, and beating other teams but come playoff time it's just a matter of winning some games, stealing games, or upsetting higher ranked teams. I d remember last season when the injury plagued Rockets were playing against playoff teams like Portland, Suns, Lakers, Sonics,Jazz, we lost some very very close games and won some of them. If we can do that last year, the more we can do it this year when we make the playoffs. ------------------ President of the Sir Charles Barkley Fan Club
What a load of crap Rocket Expert!!! Your posts suck!!! What do you have against CB and my posts? .....thanks for helping me get that off my chest. If I just happen to know you and know where you live, I could have pushed down grabbed your feet, shoved it in your candy asss!!!! THANK GOD I'M NOT THERE!!! ...whew, thanks again.. ------------------ President of the Sir Charles Barkley Fan Club
Back to the post...... I agree that, realistically, we aren't making it far in the playoffs. However, there is something that everyone seems to be forgetting. We have something that noone else has..... We have Rudy T. He took us to the promise land when it seemed impossible. We beat three 60 win teams in 95. We came back from 3-1. We had the 6th place playoff brackett. Nothing is impossible with Rudy T. He will show us the way........somehow. ------------------ "I'll take a Dream Shake for two, please."
Gascon: Why exactly do you think Rudy T is such a great coach? He won two championships when Hakeem was the best player in the NBA... I like Rudy... I think he's a good coach, and a mostly good evaluator of talent... but he's not a miracle worker. I don't think he's quite in the same class as Phil Jackson, or Pat Riley. Don't you remember 97? We had perhaps the most talented team in the league, yet we lost to Utah in 6 games because Rudy couldn't figure out how to defend a pick-and-roll. How about losing to Seattle in 96? Rudy couldn't manage to discover a way to break their double teams. What about Rudy's inability to integrate Pippen (may God strike him down) into the offense. What about his ALWAYS BIZARRE substitution patterns? Even last year, when I thought he did a good job coaching, he angered many of us with his failure to abandon the dump-it-down offense even when it obviously wasn't working. Yet he clung to it, even when the personnel didn't support it. Yes, I know you could argue that he needed time to teach the players anything else... but I still think he was too hesitant. What if he had let the team learn on the fly, with Francis? I think that would have helped tremendously with the team's progression last year. I could be wrong... just some things to consider... ------------------ [This message has been edited by haven (edited August 02, 2000).] [This message has been edited by haven (edited August 02, 2000).]
Yeah, I can see Phil Jackson or Pat Riley taking a rookie point guard who had never played the position in one year of major college ball and from the first of the season, says, "Here, take over this team, learn to play point guard, lead these veterans and save us all". ------------------
bobfin..wow you just hit the big 1000 post! congrats ------------------ Shane "Save Our Rockets" "Life without basketball in Houston........without an arena that is what it will be"
Good for you Jaworski. You are the President of the fan club for a lazy, uncommitted, drunken, adulterous, golfball slicing, midget throwing, profanity spewing, loudmouth jerk. Perhaps you should find another hobby? ------------------
haven, I hate to say it, but the reason we started losing after 95' was because we had lost something that had been one of the main contributing factors the previous two years. We lost the hunger. I remember watching that Seattle series and, as much as I love him, the person I was most angry at was Hakeem. Clyde being a close second. Where was the fire? Where was the hunger? The answer is, somewhere else. They were different players. I almost didn't recognize them. Mario was the same. Sam was the same. The only time they showed any spirit was in the waning moments of game 4. It killed me to watch it, but that's exactly what happened. And as far as Rudy is concerned, I think he knew that that is what had happened....he just didn't want to admit it. I think he, like all of us, was waiting for Dream and Glyde to wake up. That's why he made that ill-fated trade for Barkley. Barkley was supposedly one of the "hungriest" players in the league. Rudy was trying to instill that fire again. It didn't work. That's why I love to watch us get younger and hungrier with Stevie and Cat. They want to win, you can see it. So can Rudy. I know I'm being hard on Dream and Glyde, but hey, you only hurt the ones you love. ------------------ "I'll take a Dream Shake for two, please."
P.S. When I say Mario and Sam were the same, I mean they were the same as they had always been. They were still hungry. ------------------ "I'll take a Dream Shake for two, please."
haven You couldn't have picked to worse examples. You said Rudy rode Dream to 2 championships. What do you think Phil Jackson has done? He rode Jordan until he retired and then went to the most talented team with the current best NBA player in Shaq and he is riding them. Pat Riley rode a great Lakes team and went to an already great Nicks team and then abandoned them and has not had much success trying to get back the finals with a new team in the Heat. ------------------
