here's our schedule for the upcoming 2 months. I am gonna provide a simple W or L prediction and estimate where our team will be right before the allstar break: Dec Tue 26 vs Indiana W Wed 27 @ New Jersey L Fri 29 vs Atlanta W Sun 31 vs Memphis W Jan Wed 03 vs Seattle L Fri 05 vs Utah L Sun 07 @ Minnesota L Mon 08 @ Chicago L Wed 10 vs LA Lakers L Fri 12 @ Denver L Sat 13 @ Sacramento L Tue 16 @ Dallas L Wed 17 vs Phoenix L Sat 20 vs Denver L Wed 24 @ San Antonio L Fri 26 vs Portland W Mon 29 vs Philadelphia W Wed 31 vs Seattle W Feb Sat 03 vs New Orleans L Mon 05 vs Minnesota L Tue 06 @ Memphis W Fri 09 @ Dallas L Sat 10 vs Charlotte W Tue 13 vs Sacramento W Thu 15 vs Dallas L according to this worst case scenario prediction: W= 9 L = 16 our record on Feb. 16th 2007= 25-27 this means we are right around .500 by the allstar Break. this leaves us at the 8th seed in the WC, assuming Golden State and Minny keep going at the same pace. but I like to think of it in worst case scenario, which would be 9th or 10th, assuming GS and Minny get on a little run. that's still not bad, we still have a great shot at going to the playoffs considering that we can get Yao back after the Allstar Break and get on a nice little run and get into the playoffs picture and possibly improve our position to 7th or 6th (if we can pass Denver, which is likely to happen because of the suspensions they have.) so guys, it's too early to give up. forget Oden and the draft and ping-pong balls. we are doing it this season. and I really felt better after seeing the "photoshop the pain" thread because it might a sign that we are NOT going to have one in the end of the season because we will be in the Finals and we will have a photoshop thread to make fun of the teams we beat in the playoffs.
if by "we can still do it" you mean live up to your expectations of our january record, then yes i agree.
"we can still do it" means we can still make the playoffs and win a championship. it can happen, and I am sure it's going to.
The only game I see us wining, even that I am not sure, is the Cha game. The rest is crap shoot more or less. I bet you our opponents see us like steak on the plate when they play us. Sorry, like I said, hang up the dream, move on, 2007-2008 here we come.
with a semi-healthy Tmac, I am sure we can beat Memphis, ATL, Philly (AI-less), Seattle (no Rashard), and Sac (just one game), and we can have a "once a month" perfect game to beat Indy/ Portland or a really good team that has everything going the wrong way. I mean, who expected us to beat SA without Tmac in San Antonio?
Semi-healthy Tmac? We need a healthy Tmac to win any game. 25 game is a long strech. We might be high for a game of two after Gundy whips hard, but talent wise, objectively, and honestly you really see us a 500 club at the end of Feb, the earliest when Yao can return. Also I am worried Tmac's out for the season if we load him up.
you have a good point in loading up Tmac, I am really worried about that too. but come on dude, 11 game losing streak in January is not enough for you?
Portland and Seattle might be fighting for that 8th spot with us then. The portland team is good. Seattle with Allen back is good too. Like I said I see us win two games for sure and crap shoot for the rest, gets maybe 3 or so after Gundy whips hard and about to explode. so 5 of 20, which is really on par with our record last year. Also who says Yao will be back in Feb. It's at least 6 weeks. To me that is 10 week more likely. You know how they annouce the injuries recovery timetable just to give some yall false hope to keep attending games.
Also dont count on Yao will return, if at all, this season. If you do, you might be disappointed. The 25 game strech, then Yao's back, then ..., is all wishful thinking.
Call me crazy, but: Yao dramatically improved his game when Tmac went out. Perhaps when Tmac gets out and is forced to handle more of the load he may break out into classic Tmac attack. I'm desperate people. Play along.
That was a toe injury, this is a knee injury. You feel me. at least 6 weeks this time in cast probably. He will be out of game shape even if he recovers fully after that.
He said like Yao broke out when T-mac was out that while Yao is out T-Mac might go back to retro classic domination T-Mac. If thats the case, we should be good enough to make the playoffs leaving enough time for Yao to come back and get into game shape in time to make a deep playoff run. T-mac is going to play 48 minutes of 13 in 35 seconds bball!!! j/k but if he can just be classic Mac we have decent enough roleplayers to glide into the playoffs
I see us winning more than 9 games during that stretch, but then I also see Yao returning no earlier than March.
It's doable for sure. But we need 1. Cut Sura and use TE to get some help. 2. Limit TMac's playing time if he comes back. 3. Limit Alston's playing time and shooting time as much as possible. 4. Design some offensive plans for Bonzi and Battier. 5. Play more bench and see if we can find another surprise like Head.
Hi guys, I think it's definitely a great chance for Bonzi Wells to step out, for the Rockets and for himself. Hope he is smart enough to see that chance.
Don't know what you are smoking but the Rockets are toast for the run of games without Yao. He is X times more important to the team as Tmac. The whole game plan is out the window. With a fully healthy T-Mac and him playing like the scoring champ he was, then maybe, we can win a few games. We will be in the race....... for last place in the West. Sad but true. There is NOTHING for defense with both guys out and there is minimal offense with only Battier and Bonzi as the go to guys. This would have been a nice team with 4 options with Yao, Tmac, Bonzi and Battier. But without 1 & 2. This is burnt toast. Hope we get Stevie Francis luckly and get he #1 pick.
