I wasn't optimistic to think that we'd be 11 games over .500, but damn some people are VERY pessimistic. Now we're being called the darkhorse for the championship. When Yao went out, everyone thought we'd be likethe Blazers apparently. Well we showed the difference between us and the Blazers last night. This team has turned a corner. It is NOT expected to play well when you lose 50% of your franchise players. They are playing SUPERB basketball to make up for the talent they've lost. This is with Alston playing like crap apparently, Battier barely scoring, while Head and Hayes have cooled off. Like I've said before, I am very very impressed by the Rockets this season. I think we can win 32 more games from now till the end of the season.
All that can be attributed to our defensive intensity. Though I disagree with JVG on his substitution patterns and playing time, the defensive pressure our team brings everyday is amazing.
I also thought our season was over when Yao went out. Not to the extent of the hard-core pessimistics over, but it was not looking good. Tmac was not playing well and Bonzi was stilL fat. But the people gloating over here about how good the team is can stop as well. Being optimistic is one thing, but whoever thought we'd be this good without Yao were just being delusional. Nobody thought Tmac would ever be healthy again. Nobody thought Mutombo and Howard would start playing like they found the fountain of youth. Ahhh well.....either way....GO ROCKETS BABY!
Ummm no. I disagree. I remember the article from before the season started in which T-Mac had a bunch of uplifting quotes explaining on how his back was healed. He said this season was gonna be special. I full-heartedly believed him. Since Yao went down and he started taking the bulk of the scoring load again, he has done everything he said he would. With Tracy playing like that - even without Yao - I predict the Rockets will go 10-2 in February and will be at 40-18 soon.
YallMean is a cool guy. despite getting into an argument with him earlier in this thread, he put the exact same quote of "rox are worst team w/o Yao, it's better for your mental health" (not exact) in his signature and he admitted that he was mistaken. I really respect that from him. I am well known for being a pessimist, not only in basketball, but in all aspects of life. the way I like to think of stuff is "what is the worst that can happen?". I never quit on this team though, I would never do. I applied the same "wost case scenario" procedure to the "upcoming schedule" just to give all the naysayers a proof that we can still do it. I knew that we wont get on a 10 game losing streak, we must have a "great super game" where everything falls into place, but to make it seems impossible for the nonbelievers, I did it. and guess what? this is the best feeling u can ever get! when u underestimate something and it comes out great, nothing beats this feeling!!
MY Reallistic Prediction for this upcoming schedule until Allstar break ----------------------- Jan Mon 29 vs Philadelphia W Wed 31 vs Seattle W Feb Sat 03 vs New Orleans W Mon 05 vs Minnesota W Tue 06 @ Memphis W Fri 09 @ Dallas L Sat 10 vs Charlotte W Tue 13 vs Sacramento W Thu 15 vs Dallas L 9-2...
