In today's USA Today, the printed version and on the website, the Rockets get some recognition, storming into the top 10. And this is before our road win last night. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/dupree/2001-11-05-courtcov.htm USA TODAY Top 10 (Through Saturday; preseason ranking in parentheses) 1. L.A. Lakers (1): They're better than last year. 2. Milwaukee (3): Anthony Mason gives them a solid post player and another passer. 3. Minnesota: (10): They play the best zone in the league. 4. Sacramento (5): Peja Stojakovic and Hidayet Turkoglu pick up their scoring in Chris Webber's absence. 5. San Antonio (2): Spurs are better shooters and deeper than last year. 6. Orlando (4): Six of next seven are on the road. 7. Dallas (7): Tim Hardaway getting big minutes and delivering early. 8. Charlotte (-): Baron Davis gives the Hornets their sting. 9. Houston (-): Cuttino Mobley is perfect complement to Steve Francis. 10. New Jersey (-): The Keith Van Horn-Kenyon Martin forward tandem is a tough matchup.
I bet The Cat is not going to agree with their first choice and is going to be pretty pissed at the fifth choice. And we all know that Minny does not play the best zone. The best zone is played by Sonics, Jazz and the Lakers. They were the only three allowed to play zone even before the rule changes so they already are experts at it.
Why is everyone screaming for respect and we haven't done anything? Yes we won 45 games last year, but we didn't make the playoffs. Yes some magazines lay the shaft to Francis when ranking point guards, but no one told him to be second in the in tech behind Wallace. If we just shut up and play and win, the respect will come. Respect has to be earned not given away.
Leeb, Some of these people are being paid for their insight and foresight. They should be able to see something is about to happen before it happens, else what use are they? All we are saying is they should just take the time and look instead just pick last years winners. I mean the rockets are third in the league in reb and are out-rebounding our opponents. No one seem to have thought that that was on the cards.
Those two are not even comparable. What did Wallace have, close to twice as many techs as Francis? And Wallace got his from jawing with the refs and being just an all-around moron. Francis got his from adding some excitment to the game and trying to pump up his teammates and the fans.
Good points, respect has to be earned. Like after 94 and 95 and all the media was saying if MJ had not retired we would not have won. If you are outside of LA, NY, or Chicago you can forget any media respect. Thats the fun making them look for an excuse for why we win.
Actually, it looks as though they had us #9 before the season started. Evidently they saw things that the other so-called experts didn't see.
The dash next to the Rockets means they are new in the top ten. Sorry to dash the hope that some experts out there are worth something. B
Our shooting is also really bad right now, so I think those rebound number are, dare I say...inflated. I'm just happy that we are playing good enough to win, but I can see the Rockets being so much better in a few months. Glen Rice is bound to get his legs back and hit his shots, Eddie Griffin is doing great for a 19 year old rookie and big Kevin Willis is playing BIG I believe we can be a playoff team this year.
It looks good to me, but they loose alot of credibility by putting New Jersey at number 10. Holy-cow!!! What is in that pipe they are smoking? It isn't pipe tobbacco. Even playing all year in the weak Eastern Conference isn't going to make them 10th at the end of the year.
NJ at 10 and Minnesota at 3? ...a bunch of monkeys w/ typewritters, one will eventually pound out a Shakespeare play... (Or whatever that quote is)
