I managed to get tom to answer a question on espn, I think the rockets might prove him wrong. we'll see: will (houston): I believe that with JVG as the new coach, alot of the players that have been quiet [Eddie Griffin] will show major signs of life this season. Considering the Rockets only missed the playoffs by a few games, how far do you think they can go next season? Tom Tolbert: I think if everyone is healthy, they are still the third best team in Texas. L.A. will be better, Sacramento will be better. They could be fifth at best next year. Sixth is probably more realsitic. Yao still has a way to go. He will preach defense down there but you have to give them a couple years. As good a coach as he is, they are still not better than the top 4 teams.
If the Rockets are the 5th or 6th seed in the Western Conference playoffs next year then I will be very happy. What more could we ask for, really? That would be a big jump for this team! In my opinion it will take a lot to unseat the top 4 west teams in Sac, LA, SA and Dallas.
it would be an improvement, but if you take a look at season series' the rockets tied the lakers, won 2 with a third really close one against sac, and they completely owned the spurs for the first half of the season [then again so did everyone else]...I won't even talk about dallas, but I think it's feasible that we could do #4.
that's extremely fair and coming from tom pretty shocking considering i've yet to hear him say anything positive about yao.
That is more then fair. Many teams will be better next year, and lets just hope that we at least get the 8th spot. Many people thought it was an insult for the media to predict us a 6th or 7th spot last year and where did that get us?
I'll take it too. You've got to figure the Big 4 will be in the top 4 spots again next year. If we get the 5 seed, that's a Coach Of The Year accomplishment IMO.
I have to verify if it actually came from Tolbert. He'd yet had anything positive to say about our whole team!! The prediction is optimistic though. Assume SA, Dallas, Sac, LA are in the top 4. To finish in 5th, we have to beat out Port, Minn, Utah, Pho, not to mention the improving Seatlle and GS. The 5th, 6th place finishers last year had 50-32 record. That is a tall order!!
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=3649 uh, there is your verification, jesus. 4th question.
As much as I think Tolbert's a tool... I somehow have to agree with most of his observations. But he's still a tool.
I thought Tolbert was saying we might not even make the playoffs a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it was him because he's the biggest knucklehead out there. His point was that Suns would be better than us and that GS was on the rise too. I might be getting him mixed up with someone, but I thought it was him.
Sry, I did not mean to question your source! I said that only because I have yet heard Tolbert say anything nice about us!
Yeah, I think that is an honest, fair assessment. However, we had Sacramento's number last year, so with any luck if we actually got the 5 spot, I'd hope to draw Sac as the 4 spot. But all I want out of next year is a playoff berth. 8th, 7th, 5th, 3rd ... whatever as long as we're in it.
Phoenix could be a long term arch-rival for the Rockets since both guys have players with something to prove: Francis vs. Marbury Yao vs. Stoudemire
That sounds right. I think that the Rockets will be a #5 or #6 seed next year. Van Gundy will keep this team focused, and when the Rockets were focused they were destroying Golden State, Phoenix, Boston, Sacramento, Utah, Philadelphia, and teams like that. Yao will be better, Griffin hopefully will be better, and Rice should be healthy. I see 47 to 50 wins and no lower then a #6 seed. I think the Rockets will leapfrog Phoenix, Utah, Portland and maybe Minnesota.
Call me unrealistic, but I truly believe the Rockets are better than all those teams in terms of talent. We just needed a coach who can guide us better and I think JVG will do that. Top 4 or 5 ez.
