I really can't see how a team that's in 9th place in the playoff race deserves more than a C. The West is stronger than ever. The Rockets have clearly lost a step compared to their conference rivals.
One more thing: Legler is absolutely right about the offense. The Rockets are averaging fewer points per game than last year.
He said the new offense has not translated into wins. Had he said, "they have been unable to adapt to the new offense", he might have been 25% right. It's quite obvious that Legler was just talking out of his ass. I don't disagree with the grade. The Rockets deserve a C- for the results they've given us so far this season. But Legler is an idiot.
I agree with you it is harsh to say the team is mediocre, though we are playing well below expectations. I think when he said "the new free-flowing offense has not translated into wins", he does not mean that we have not won many game with this offense, but that the results are below what is expected, and our ppg did not increase significantly at this point. According to yahoo stats and nba.com we average 97 ppg last year, this year we are 95.7ppg. Our FG percentage compared to last year are about the same, our FT% is lower this year.
Only 4.5GB of second place with a 58 wining % and playing the toughest schedule so far in the NBA lerning a new system with new coaches and new players and loosing T-MAC 15 Games, plus all the game he left in the middle of a game and all the other he wasn't completely healthy.
Taking schedule into account, Sagarin's computer rankings has us ranked #10 right now. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba0708.htm
Geez Tim! Why don't you give us credit for barely beating crappy teams?! Doesn't that show that we are playing better defense and and scoring more?? We have done an amazing job with mediocre teams! (except Philly..we just beat that amazingly talented team. Not our faults we have match up problem)... blah blah blah blah. OMG, give it a rest. Since December 7 of our wins were against teams over .500 (counting the Wizards who are only 1 game over .500). The 12 wins were against teams under .500. We lost 9 games over teams over .500 (going 7-9) and we were 12-3 against teams under .500. That is a grand total of 19-12 since December. Not bad, but it doesn't put us any higher than where we should be. Sure our offense is clicking, but against mediocre/terrible teams.
The top 10 in rankings are 1 HOU - TOP 10 (18 times) TOP 16 (28 times) ROAD GAMES (27) vs west (29 games) 2 TOR - vs TOP 10 (17 times) vs TOP 16 (26 times) ROAD GAMES (24) 3 MEM - vs TOP 10 (21 times) vs TOP 16 (31 times) ROAD GAMES (21) 4 MIN - vs TOP 10 (16 times) vs TOP 16 (29 times) ROAD GAMES (24) 5 LAL - vs TOP 10 (18 times) vs TOP 16 (28 times) ROAD GAMES (23) vs west (26 games)
When T-Mac, Yao and Rafer played together. 20-10 (66 WIN%) When T-Mac, Yao and Rafer played w/o leaving by injurey. 20-7 (74 WIN%) Wins over LAL, DEN, DET, SAS, PHX, POR, UTAH etc. Since T-Mac return and with Yao playing 7-0 (2-0 vs .500 team)
And my answer to that? Ninth place, and out of the playoffs. You cannot give an A or a B to a team that is in ninth place. The Rockets have come up against a whole bunch of issues: the new system, new coach, new players, etc. But they're in ninth place.
The Rockets went 8 and 2 and moved up to the ninth spot, by half a game. They have an easy schedule this month. So does GS and UTAH. Then in March the West is going to cannibalize itself. Frankly the reason I'd mark the Rockets as average is watching the Lakers and Celtics play. Those are clearly two A teams, and there's no question that the Rockets simply do not come up to their level. If the Rockets are an A, then you'd have to invent a new grade for the truly elite teams. AAA extra large, or something.
Didn't we beat the Lakers and without T-MAC in their house came close to beat the a fully healthy Celtics? Cmon man stop being pessimistic. Don't get caught in the hype, the different in todays top team are not that much there is not clearcut great team, every team is beatable, in the playoff is going to be matchup the reason for losing or wining. Just look at NO they look unbeatable and now lost 3 in the road and by double digit figures looking like a mediocre team. PHX 1-1 SAS 2-1 (Lost w/o T-MAC) LAK 1-1 (Lost T-Mac miss the 2nd half) DEN 1-1 (Lost w/o T-MAC) POR 2-0 DET 1-1 (Lost T-Mac miss the 2nd half) ORL 1-1 (Lost T-Mac miss the 2nd half) GS 2-1 DAL 0-3 (The only team we have serious trouble we can only play them for 3 1/2 quarters and the lose in the final 5 minutes) UTAH 1-1 (Lost w/o YAO) NO 1-0 (Lost with T-Mac and we got rob by the refs) ORL 1-1 (Lost T-Mac miss the 2nd half) At the end Houston when healthy is A team, forget about their record so far. There is nobody able to stop Yao or T-Mac now when have a bench, youth, versatility and the most important when Houston play hard they are of the best if not the best in defense and rebounding, We got some weakness, yes, but every team have and not every team can play really good defense.
The Rockets cannot be an A team --- regardless of the circumstances that got them here, they are still on the outside of the playoffs looking in, and this is a squad that was expected to contend for the championship. They deserve that low grade. My beef with Legler is that his "analysis" comments make him out to be an utter idiot. That said, yesterday's dime had a list of which teams have been playing the best ball since Christmas. The Jazz topped the list at 16-4 (.800), then there was a tie between the Hornets and Rockets for 15-5 (.750), followed by the LeBrons (14-4) and Celtics (14-5). If the Rockets can keep up a .750 clip well into March, there's no reason they shouldn't land themselves a comfortable postseason berth.
If Houston wants to be an A team they have to beat B teams consistently. They haven't done that so far. Look, the Rockets' record is just not good enough to qualify for a decent grade. They're out of the playoff picture. They're the ninth best team in the West right now. I think that sums it up. If they kick ass in March I'll bump them up.
