Didn't the spurs do it after drafting Duncun? Or maybe it took a year - I can't recall. I'd be estactic if we made it to the semis, happy if we put up a good fight in the second round, and not surprised if we didn't get out of the first.
Me personally, I would like the Rockets go out in the first round to get rid of JVG. If the Rockets advance to second, JVG will get a new contract. The Rockets championship hopes will go down the drain. He's flat out not the coach to lead them to a championship. I want Yao to get a championship ring.
Man- I hate this negative vibe, but we really are not looking good at this point. We struggled last nite against Cleveland. We had many chances to win. I realize there is a transition with Yao coming back, but Mac was looking shaky early-most of game on shooting. I'm really worried about Tracy's health. If Mac and Yao can stay healthy, BAttier over - achieves, Juwan and Dikembe can help Yao, and Rafer concentrates on being a distributor and playmaker-not a long shooter-we still will struggle against Utah and worse against SA. We will be in a bind playing SA even if we are perfect. If we slip to 6 and play SA in 1st round-we are fodder......... This is depressing- this team is getting older every year. Playing a hot Boston team tomorrow nite......
Actually, you're the hater here. You call our team a bunch of scrubs? To me, that just plain sucks. They have not done anything to deserve disrespect. There were guys 10 years ago down on our championship teams. Sorry, but I liked those teams BEFORE they won everything. It's one thing to provide constructive criticism and recognize a team's or players issues, it's another thing to be deragatory about your team and/or quit on them when they have a shot. I don't have rose-colored glasses on, but this team has enough pieces together to not just quit on them. And if they don't win it all this year, I will just have been a good fan. If they win it all this year, you will always be a quitter, disbeliever and bandwagon fan.
No - I call our scrubs a bunch of scrubs. Head, Alston, Hayes, JHo - are not championship role players. Cassell was awesome his rookie year. He was getting props around the league. Horry was getting props his rookie year - despite the criticism we got for not picking Hal Minor (thank goodness we didn't). Elie was super mario before the championship run. Vernon Maxwell was called a steal before we made the playoffs in 1993. Kenny Smith was a touted guard. Otis Thorpe was considered a very good power forward although not an all-star. We had very good role-players. None of the role-players save Deke and Battier get props. Think about it. No matter how you try to spin things, you're the only one attacking other members of this board. I haven't quit on the team, that's just your weak attempt to justify your position. You're probably one of those people who yell at dissenters "Love it or leave it"
There's plenty of board members who are sick of the hatin' on our team, hence the one and two stars for almost all of the negative threads, including so many of yours. Congrats on such highly rated threads. What were you, 12 in '94? Mario was Super Mario before the title run? Why, because he came off the bench averaging about 9 ppg and 2.5 boards? Kenny was about 10 ppg and 4 apg then... of yeah I see why he was 'touted'. Horry... it wasn't his rookie year, it was his 2nd... and he had 'potential' but at 10 ppg, a little over 5 boards and a yet unimpressive .324 from the arc he was not getting any mad props. Sam was obviously going to be good but still off the bench and did things rookies do. Vernon was always recognized as a head-case and was incredibly inconsistent. Otis was about the only player (other than Hakeem) on the first championship squad who was recognized for above-average play. Again, there's a reason why our championship teams still don't get the respect they deserve to this day: their teamwork was grossly underrated. It was not just Hakeem, it was incredible teamwork and grit that won games for them. They were not stars before, and other than us Rockets fans most didn't consider them stars after. You would have quit on them, too... I'm quite certain.
Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell were eons better than our PG situation with Rafer/Lucas/V-Span. The problem with the current team is that they don't have nearly enough firepower to compete with the top teams.
IMO, a decent PF is enough, Hayes can do the dirty works, but he is too short and he can't play offense. Howard is too old to play in playoffs, and he can't play good defense either. If we have David Lee, we will be the champion.
I really-really liked Cassell. Can someone please help me understand the respect Kenny Smith gets here????? He was our veteran - so streaky in both Championshipe runs that Cassell ended up getting major minutes. I would take Rafer Alston in a heart beat over Kenny Smith in his prime. Kenny was too inconsistent. He should be sending Hakeem money every month for those two rings Hakeem gave him.......
I agree Big M - It must be a b**** being as enlightened as New Yorker. So smart it must hurt his head......
is this a serious comment? Kenny may of been up and down, but look up erratic in the dictionary, and you see Rafer's grin.
Excellent post Cohen. New Yorker is strongly over rating the talent Hakeem had around him. Hakeem was the only all- star. Great coaching, grit, never say die attitude, and Hakeem's sheer will got us that 1st championship. those of us that followed '92-'93 season knew we had something special-the refs robbed us that year in that last Game with SA. We were a team of destiny-just not great talent other than Hakeem. That never say die attitude flowed right down to us fans- great sports experience I will never forget. thanks Hakeem!
From '92 to ' 95 I was disappointed with Kenny's inconsistency. Dude could shoot sometimes, but he was not the point guard that Rafer is. I am amazed Kenny smith gets any credit at all around here. dude sucked. I was glad when his contract ran out in what-'97? Kenny was bad enough that Sam Cassell got playing time as a rookie in playoff games. Please note that my expectations for a point guard are not high. Bring that ball down and keep control of it. For the most part I like the way Rafer gets the ball down the floor quick without wasting time off the clock. He can move the ball and make quick decisions without turning it over. I wish Rafer would shoot less, but I absolutely like him better than Kenny Smith at point.
Personally, I'm sick of your personal attacks. When you can leave it out, let's discuss. This board used to be good about Rockets discussion. Now, if you criticize the team in anyway you are labeled a hater. You are either a homer or a hater. There's no room for the average fan anymore.
I tried to read this thread but it was pretty hard to get through. I will say this if we could swap Dream for Yao than we win the title going away. That is a pretty bold statement considering the fact Yao is the best center in the nba but that's how good dream was. So I guess I am saying Yao has just as good or a better supporting cast around him so if Yao and T-Mac both dominate like they can/should/and I think will than heck yeah we can win the title!
And Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier were better eons better than their counterparts, etc. These comparisons are useless. With much less talent, the Rockets took the Mavericks to 7 games. Don't give me that garbage that the Rockets can't compete with the top teams. Stay off the bandwagon.
