Sun Scorched wrote:Scutt wrote:Sun Scorched wrote:I think we're going to have a better year that Houston, honestly.
I know people seem to fixate on our offseason, but here is the honest +/- so far.
PHX:
+ Warren (draft), Ennis (draft), Thomas (signed), Tolliver (signed)
- Frye, Barbosa, Christmas, Smith
HOU:
+ Capella (draft), Johnson (draft), Ariza (signed), Dorsey (signed)
- Parsons, Asik
Frye was important to us, but the Rockets lost more talent than we did and also acquired less. And this is to say nothing of the fact that I think our players will improve more between last season and this upcoming season.
Go Suns!
I just do not see that happening. The Rockets may have lost more talent than us this offseason, but that is negated by the fact that they have more talent than the Suns to begin with. They have James Harden and Dwight Howard. You may not like them, but they are stars and stars get the calls.
Even if Bledsoe returns, I see the Suns fighting for the 8th seed once again at best, while Houston will make the playoffs comfortably. We overachieved last year and took the league by surprise with everyone having career years. The Rockets on the other hand, underachieved and got bounced in the 1st round and won 54 games. With Howard and Harden having a full year together under their belts, I think it is safe to say they will improve. Last year they were figuring out how to play together.
Do you think Dragic, Green, Markieff, Plumlee, and Bledsoe( If he is around) are all going to have career years again? I think our 48 wins last year was fools gold and I am certainly not ready to consider the Suns better than Houston, who has a top center and SG, especially when we don't even know what is happening with Bledsoe...
So your argument is that the Suns regress in every way and the Rockets improve in every facet? Not a chance. We have far more players ready to take a jump talent-wise than does Houston. Harden and Howard aren't getting any better, neither is Ariza. Capella is raw as hell and Johnson was a late 2nd.
Dragic is legit. I get not wanting to get excited about his continued success, but he was consistent and he came ready to play every night. You remember when he got snubbed? He rattled off like three 40 point games in a row in answer - that's intentional talent, not blowing up for 40 against Sacramento.
Green, Markieff, Plumlee, Len and Warren all have the opportunity to blow up this year. If we get Bledsoe back and healthy, he'll play twice as many games as last year.
Oh, and we added Isaiah Thomas (who is perfect for our system and drastically underrated) who is better than anyone not named Harden and Howard on the Rockets.
I would be thrilled if we performed at the same level as last year, but we have a legitimate chance to outperform that. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that the Suns regress, other than unfounded cynicism. General logic would hold that a team under a second year coach, with one full year of team basketball and more talent would be better, not worse.
There's a 0% chance that Harden will improve more throughout his career than Dragic or Green. Both those guys have been in the league for quite a while.
And your statement that Harden isn't gonna get better is extremely foolish. He's 25 years old with only 2 seasons as starter and he's put up monstrous numbers. There's no doubt that he will improve more barring injury.
I don't like Harden but my goodness this is just ridiculous. A 25 year old who has put up 25, 5 and 5 in his first 2 seasons as starter in the NBA won't improve.....wow. Just wow.
