Was I in the minority with my expectations before the season?

I think I predicted 53-56 wins, whatever. It's not about the record, it's about the team. A team can be worse than their record and be reminded of that in the playoffs. I think the Rockets lack identity, killer instinct, team mentality, mental toughness, and I'm almost ready to add head coach to the list, but not quite yet. I agree with those who have said the Rockets win on talent, not system or coaching, which is why equally talented teams give them fits.

 

I dunno, I guess somewhere along the line half the GARM decided we were championship contenders.

 

Someone posted an expectations thread prior to the season. I remember saying I'd be satisfied with second round as long as we don't get swept. That's the same stance I have now.

 

I thought getting out of the 2nd round would be a huge success, and my expectations haven't changed.

 

Did you go the big event they had at the Toyota center this summer for HOWARD with thousands of fans in the 100degree weather? theyre were high expectations being communicated a banner raised with dream, Yao, Ralph, Howard on it.

I'm not saying the goal was championship but the organization were communicating almost something in those lines. Morey is on record saying home court is the goal, so that's my expectations.

 

I also thought 2nd round but exactly what Top 4 team can we beat to get to the second round, because I honestly don't see us beating any of them in a 7 games series. These teams really want to win, they don't care who's out, they don't care how many games they have played they just want to win and I just don't see that with us. We make the playoffs but unless we make some changes we're one and done.

 

If we make it to the 2nd round and put up a good fight in that round I'm ok with that. That's something we can build off going into the 2014-2015

 

If we don't make it to the WCF I will be disappointed in this team. Too much talent, no excuse for failure.

Second half of the season should be much better. Everyone will hopefully be healthy, and the chemistry should improve. If not... fire McHale.

 

I'm hoping for a major collapse this year and for a first round exit in the playoffs. I don't want Mchale coaching the team next year... Either way we aren't gonna win it this year

 

The real question is are we able to step it up in the playoffs?

 

That's what happens when you sign the best 5 in the league to pair with one of the best, if not the best, 2 in the league.

Usually, whenever a team signs a lauded superstar, there will ostensibly be some people that proclaim "championship or bust."

Though I will admit, if one didn't have at least second round expectations after the signing of Howard, that is a bit pessimistic.

 

Those aren't knowledgeable fans. Those are equivalent to fans here who start knee jerk threads. They are just desperate to be heard because they panic easily.

 

Did not know TT experiment would blow up like this. Nobody saw Asik as a big problem.
I thought Dmo would be a 8 pt and 6 rebound guy early on.
I thought Garcia would be the god shooter that he was last year.
I thought our bench would be second to none.

Well those things happen, and my prediction 4th and getting up to 3rd seed.
Portland did it for me.

 

I had a feeling our bench still needed quite a bit of work. But I realized salary cap issues and all. But we have the MLE this offseason I believe so we have more money to upgrade.

The problem people have with this team is just the wild inconsistencies in effort. Last season it seemed like they played harder every game albeit with less talent.

I expected 52-55 wins this season. We are on pace for 52, which is probably what we will end up with. Our team will get better gelled, but our schedule gets even harder.

Anything can happen in the 2nd half of the season. I predict we will win 54 regardless of our schedule if we stay healthy. Asik and Beverly were 2 of our best defenders. And Beverly/Lin smallball gives Harden a lot more rest. And Garcia won't have to play the SG postion as much which he can't defend at all.

 

I thought their record would be around where it is now, and they'd get a 4-5 seed. Looks like they're on pace for around that, might be as low as a 6th seed. The frustrating parts to watch would be that though they are meeting expectations (In terms of record) they have wet the bed against many playoff teams, play lackadasically when they have leads and have blown games against clearly inferior opponents. They also play no defense, (Which most people expected to change after signing Dwight.)

All in all, if you break down why all these things are happening, (Lack of a coherent offensive system, coaching, terrible perimeter defenders) it all makes sense, but it's still very annoying, even if their record is what was predicted, because the mistakes are issues that do not necessarily need to happen. This franchise is not maximizing to it's potential on all fronts. General management (Asik fiasco... yikes), coaching, player development (Why hasn't DMo played more when there is NO OTHER BACK UP C), player accountability (Where's the defense?!??!), etc.

 

I honestly don't recall hearing/seeing any fans thinking we'd be sniffing a championship this year. WCF seemed an achievable goal, but I'd have been pleased with 2nd round. Doubtful that happens, barring some unexpected trade D/L moves -- but I thought that was a reasonable expectation for this "new" team.

 

I think it was too ambitious for anyone to think this team was a championship contender from day one. Obviously, with two foundational pieces in Harden and Howard in place, and with an above average to really good supporting cast, you want to see some championship potential as I think we have seen in some of the finer moments this season. The only way this team would have won a championship with this current team was if the majority of these things happened:
- Howard returned close to his 2009 MVP self
- Harden turned into a legit MVP candidate
- Either Lin, Parsons or someone turned into a legit third star option
- Asik and Howard formed a center tandem of 48 minutes of elite paint defense
- We got scorching hot in the playoffs
All of which are possible but looking pretty improbable at least at this time. I don't think anyone with a realistic view on the NBA felt this team was set to make a deep run. If anything, this team needed at least a year of growing together, go throughout he ups and downs of being a new team. Then make a trade or good signings to balance out the team and round out the roster.

Our starting lineup is good, but I still worry about the point guard and power forward positions a bit. They are our weak links to our starting lineups. Patrick Beverly or Jeremy Lin starting are solid options but the west is stacked with great point guards like Paul, Lillard, Curry, Parker, Dragic/Bledsoe, even Conley are all better than our guards. And in the case of OKC, Jackson is better than Bev/Lin. The same can even be said for power forwards as Duncan, Ibaka, LMA, Lee, Dirk, even Love or ZBo are all better than Jones. Just an area of concern. Not saying we need to get CP3 or LMA to even compete but the point guard and power forward positions are so strong out West and those positions being our weakest is troubling.

And of course our bench is struggling and doesn't look to be anything more than a collection of measly role players that in some cases 8th or 9th men in rotation at best. Getting Lin back in that group to help control the offense and hopefully Asik to stabilize the defense will help but their is definite need for a quality back up shooting guard swingman. Hopefully Dmo continues his play also.

 

I thought the Rockets were probably going to be the 3rd, 4th, or 5th best team in the West. Making it to the Western Conference finals would be a huge success. But, really the West is so good, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Rockets lose in the first round. Our first round opponent will be a good team, probably the Clippers or Golden State. That will be a tough series.

If we lose in the first round and look really bad then I think McHale will be replaced. But, if we lose to The Clippers or the Warriors in a tight series, then it wouldn't surprise me if McHale returns. I know that would make a lot of Clutchfans angry. I also know that many Clutchfans want McHale fired no matter what happens in the playoffs.