What is the most talented Rockets team in History (on paper)

if clyde would've stayed one more year, then it would've been the greatest lineup on paper, of all time, almost.

 

According to Les its whoever is on the current team.


though this team could arguably be the most talented on paper but I would reserve any sort of judgment until the season is over.

 

85-86......I forgot about that one....

DD

 

It was the team with eddie griffin.

 

On paper our team this year is amazing, if this all works out we could be a very fun team to watch...i cant wait until our first game...i hope we'll still get mms links to watch the games cuz i dont have league pass at school

 

On paper?

1997, hands down, although this year's is pretty sahweet too!

Hakeem, Barkley, Drexler > Yao, TMac, Artest

Anyone who doesn't think that is not a true Rockets fan.

Hell, even Hakeem > Yao and half of TMac.

Again, the OP asked ON PAPER.

 

'97? tinman, get in here and shred these guys.

DaDakota I share you're enthusiasm but jeez... you know better.

 

Not that I am a Rockets historian, but I can still put forth an opinion based on what I have seen of those other teams on the classic games. I think from the top down as far as level of talent, this year has the most talent spread out among the "rest" after the best.

The years with Hakeem and "insert one or two other fantastic players here" it seemed like there was a bigger spread between the top two or three and the end of the bench. Obviously Hakeem was dominant and Barkley, Clyde and Sampson were as well, but then as you move past the starting five on those teams and the talent level drops.

For this team it's a slow progression down in talent. Of course we have three players that are head and shoulders above the rest, but then the talent level sort of plateaus.

That's just an opinion based on trying to catch up with the history of the Rockets.

Good question though Sweet Lou. I will be curious to see what a lot of the old timers say on this one.

 

Dream says 85-86 Team, so that's what I say.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2006_4062974

 

I say you get a reprieve for honesty. That '86 team along with the Lakers and Celtics played the most incredible ball I've seen before or since. MJ be damned.

 

2008-2009 Yao, T-mac, Alston, Artest, Scola, Francis, Battier, Brooks, Landry, Hayes, Mutombo, Barry

We don't even know if this is the final team

 

96-97

Sure, our best players were all 30+ but Hakeem/Drexler/Barkley....are you kidding me? Not only that but add in Willis/Elie/Johnson.

It's close between the 96-97 team and our current squad but I look at it this way: if you had to choose one "win now" squad to roll into next season with which would you choose? In that instance given the overall talent and experience factors you have to choose the 96-97 squad.

 

I agree with the Dream/Barkley/Drexler 97 team. They would have had it if it weren't for collective overconfidence after sweeping the Timberpuppies. Stumbled taking care of the Sonics, and weren't playing as hard as they could have against Utah.

That was a really deep, well balanced team. Willis was the perfect F/C off the bench. Maloney, Bull, and EJ were money from distance. Sam Mack may have only been good for a couple years, but he was nice instant offense. Elie and Drexler provided good defense with Dream backing them up with his blocking.

I would take that squad over our current one any day. They're forgotten since they fell short, but that was the last great team assembled in Houston.

The ironic part about Barkley griping about Dream/Drexler being complacent in the playoffs since they already had rings is that to this day I'm still convinced that Barkley's history of taking wins for granted is what killed us in the end. We had Clutch City twice against Phoenix since he celebrated before finishing the job, and I fully believe that's what happened when we were up in the series against Seattle and struggled to finish things off.

Evan

 

Thank you

I have only seen I think two of the games from that year. The last second shot by Sampson and Finals game where Sampson got into it with the Celtics player.. umm I can't remember who it was.

They were both on Hardwood classics for me to watch

 

Pretty careless of the OP to leave out the 02/03 Rockets featuring Yao Ming and Cato at center; Eddie Griffin, Mo Taylor, and Kenny Thomas at power forward; Bostjan Nachbar at small forward, and Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Moochie Norris in the backcourt. Not only was that the most talented Rockets team in history but it was also one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

 

i'd have to say 86 before lucas was suspended. you have ralph and hakeem playing all star ball. two all star centers on one team beats any other combo in my book.

 

Can you believe he forgot to mention Glen Rice?