your expectations (realistic) of the rockets in 04-05

I'll wait until I see the opening night roster before I make my prediction....

 

I anticipate that the Spurs & Kings will still own us for at least another year due their experience/talent. The T-Wolves should also be better than us again. The Lakers and/or Dallas will be tough, and I think the Grizz are still on the way up. Our team is getting overhauled this off-season, so I'm expecting some frustrating struggles while everyone learns how to play with each other. Realistically, I see us as the #5-6 seed in the West with a good shot to make it to the 2nd round...2005-2006 will be another story though.

 

so far too early to make any prediction even with T-Mac And YaoMing in our team. Also you' ll have to look at other teams' roster.

 

Before the T-Mac/Francis trade
everyone: "Dude, we are soooo gonna win it all if we get T-Mac... 60 wins per season... etc."


After the trade is made final
everyone: "Shhhhhhhhhh!!!! It's much too early to tell, don't jinx it you dink!!"


LOL

50+ the first year... make it to 2nd round.... I hope. Anything from there is that good gravy your grandma put on them homemade mashed potatoes.

 

Yao
will improve statistically, but not necessarily to the point of making anyone think he is a dominant player. I see Yao as the succesor to Shaq as the next great center, but not this year. Instead, he will continue to progress and post career highs in every category.

Tmac
scoring average will dip slightly, but probably not below 26ppg. Even in hindsight, this deal will steal look like a steal though. He will take pressure of Yao by becoming the go-to guy on offense when a tough basket is needed, something Steve was not able to do without disrupting the offense. His defense will become better, not All-Defense, but good enough that it won't become an issue. He will coexist nicely with Yao and JVG, and in doing so will convert the few remaining pessimists who even now are second-guessing this deal. In short, he will prove that he is as good as advertised.

Both will start the All-Star game.

PG
If Snow or Fisher is brought in, this position will be fine. Both are steady veterans whose real contributions will come in the postseason. Lue/Gaines will become a reliable backup, and the offense will become much more fluid with Tmac and the new PG running things.

PF
Jho and MoT will be adequate, but it will become obvious that neither brings the defense, toughness and rebounding needed at the position. This time next year everyone will be clamoring for a new starter at PF, and we will have a new starter the following season, if not sooner.

Team
The Rockets will start off strong, and remain in a close battle for playoff positioning all season. In the end, they will secure the fifth seed in the West. They will then upset the Twolves in the first round before bowing out to the top-seeded Spurs in the second round.

Overall, the team will make a significant leap from last year, but it is too much to expect a trip to the Conference Finals in their first year together.

 

10% ~ 15% improvement

Rocket River

 

Minimum Second Round!

 

Need veteran leadship, hopefully at point guard.

Need a good back up to Yao

Need so power inside

Need some good third and fourth scoring options

The first two needs are huge.

Plus we need some quick team chemistry like Minn got last year.

This team may struggle at first finding identity.

We need to go hard for veteran leadership. And solid role players.

TMac will lose enthusiasm quickly if we have a losing record and fall out of playoff contention early.

It's all about winning. We made a great trade.
We take a gamble, because we need the right pieces around Yao and TMac.

Van Gundy will help because his ugly defense keeps you in games.

This season will hinge on team chemistry, role players and won-loss record.

If we get off to a fast start look for things to gel more quickly.

Injury free is essential because we lost depth.

 

51-31 (barring no injuries or long terms ones at that...)

that's based on the probability of us getting a couple of free agents to help our team...

We might exit first round depending on who we play...

Second round sounds good for now...but I'm not expecting it...we need to mold this team for a couple of years...

Can't you wait for the San Antonio Vs Houston rivalry in the coming years... Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Turkoglu Vs. Yao, McGrady, Jackson, Nachbar,

or a rivalry with Houston because of Kobe Vs T-Mac and Rudy T coming back...

and uh....I almost...uh...forgot...SHAQ (and whatever team he is on)

Detroit...Big Ben and Sheed on Yao...Rip and Prince on T-Mac

Indiana...Ron Artest on T-Mac...O'Neal on Yao

Orlando...for obvious reasons...


We are a elite team now for the next 4-10 years if contracts are done right...

 

Of course depending on who else we add, i would say this team can be 'at least' a top 5 team in the west and make it into the second round.

We still have some building to do here, but we have a STRONG foundation. And that is the key!

 

The following teams will still be good:

Spurs
T-Wolves
Kings
Mavs
Lakers ? depends on what happens with Kobe and Shaq

Pairing McGrady puts us in that group so for now I would say we are a top 6 team in the West but where in that group is unknown.

 

I agree. At least a 4 seed. Plus, this is just the beginning. The Rockets are not done dealing yet. I don't think that Mo Taylor is sacred now that we have Howard. If the Rockets can get a decent role-player level SF or backup C for him, don't be surprised to see him gone, too.

On top of that, I guarantee you the Rockets are NOT going to be starting Tyronn Lue at the point next year. They are going to be bringing in a vet to run the point with Lue as the backup. This move was about contending THIS YEAR. And, unlike Rudy (who I love, by the way), Van Gundy does not have an infatuation with experimenting with unknown CBA rejects or perennial journeymen at key positions. We WILL have a solid, proven NBA point guard running this team. Maybe not the most athletic, but a veteran who doesn't turn the ball over and is a decent floor leader.

 

64-18. World Champions.

 

My expectation is some early friction between JVG and McGrady over the offense and JVG's expectations for McGrady on defense. If they can work through that early the Rockets will have a chance to gel by the all-star break and make a run at a good playoff seeding. If not, then a 7 or 8 seed.

It will be interesting to see if Les, CD and JVG can get the additional pieces to complement McGrady and Yao this season. It will also be interesting to see if JVG can get McGrady to defer to Yao enough to make him effective on offense. If Yao's scoring average goes down as a result of McGrady then this trade probably won't help the Rockets much.

Having said that, best wishes to Francis, Mobley and Cato. I think Cato will do better in the Eastern Conference and that Orlando will be a surprise team in the East next year.

 

Without a new PG this team maybe won't even make the playoffs. We lost a lot of defense and got a little bit better on offense. This team will struggle if Yao can't step up.

If we get a solid PG this team may contend for 4th - 7th seed. But therefor Yao and T-Mac have to be healthy almost all season long.

I also find it interesting to see how T-Mac, Yao and JVG will get along. That's a big factor for our chances off success next season.