Rockets are my bold prediction to finish top 2 Seed.

[mdonnelly1989]

OP don't you think Houston had a better team last year? I think losing Parsons might hurt them, and Lin off the bench seems to be a great 6th man option...

However yes Houston can maybe grab one of the top seeds, but #2 seems a little too much for me. I like the Howard/Harden combo, specially on offense. On defense I think Houston relies too much on how much Howard can help most players, their perimeter players really need to step up.

EDIT: I've been waiting for the Spurs to get old but it seems like it will never happen. Tim Duncan is like "the walking dead" - he made zombies cool again.

So if this is not the year Spurs drop their production, I think the top 3 seeds will be OKC, SAS and LAC.

I believe Trevor Ariza is a better all around SF then Parsons. Also he can stretch the court with a great 3 shot, I don't think Lin was that great to begin with.

I think it should be the Spurs in the top 2 seed with Houston. I just think they will it's a bold prediction I know.

Thunder have questions to answer. How will RW do as the lone Superstar. Sure Serge Ibaka will be back but idk and who knows when KD will actually be back. In a stacked Western Conference can they really afford for KD to be gone 6+ weeks?

[SactoKingsFan]

Ariza's more of a wild card than Parsons. We pretty much know what to expect from Parsons, but both of Ariza's high quality seasons were contract seasons.

[ceiling raiser]

Hmm, not sure.

I think SA and the Clippers finish ahead of them. OKC should as well, unless KD misses a ton of time, and they fall apart without him.

The Mavs are also a legitimate darkhorse, and it would actually not shock me if *they* finished top 2 in the West.

Realistically, Houston doesn't have enough depth. Asik might not have been a huge factor given the situation with Dwight last year, but at least there's not a huge defensive drop off (if any at all). Lin is replaceable, but I don't think he was replaced. Ariza if he wasn't just playing up for the contract year again is a very nice player. Is that it though?

It looks like they picked up Scola again and Terry, but both are pretty much washed up at this point as far as I can tell. Does Terrence Jones step up and become a more reliable shooter? They benched him for Asik the last four games of the series vs Portland, maybe they're going away from him. Who else is a rotation-worthy player on this squad? You know what you're getting from Dwight/Harden/Beverley (and presumably Ariza), but unless Scola/Terry find the fountain of youth, one or two surprise players show up big time (Jones and Daniels, maybe?), I think they're one or two legitimate pieces away from being relevant in the conference.

[cloudng8]

Hmm, not sure.

I think SA and the Clippers finish ahead of them. OKC should as well, unless KD misses a ton of time, and they fall apart without him.

The Mavs are also a legitimate darkhorse, and it would actually not shock me if *they* finished top 2 in the West.

Realistically, Houston doesn't have enough depth. Asik might not have been a huge factor given the situation with Dwight last year, but at least there's not a huge defensive drop off (if any at all). Lin is replaceable, but I don't think he was replaced. Ariza if he wasn't just playing up for the contract year again is a very nice player. Is that it though?

It looks like they picked up Scola again and Terry, but both are pretty much washed up at this point as far as I can tell. Does Terrence Jones step up and become a more reliable shooter? They benched him for Asik the last four games of the series vs Portland, maybe they're going away from him. Who else is a rotation-worthy player on this squad? You know what you're getting from Dwight/Harden/Beverley (and presumably Ariza), but unless Scola/Terry find the fountain of youth, one or two surprise players show up big time (Jones and Daniels, maybe?), I think they're one or two legitimate pieces away from being relevant in the conference.

We got scola!?!?!? lol, thats news to me.

[ceiling raiser]

Hmm, not sure.

I think SA and the Clippers finish ahead of them. OKC should as well, unless KD misses a ton of time, and they fall apart without him.

The Mavs are also a legitimate darkhorse, and it would actually not shock me if *they* finished top 2 in the West.

Realistically, Houston doesn't have enough depth. Asik might not have been a huge factor given the situation with Dwight last year, but at least there's not a huge defensive drop off (if any at all). Lin is replaceable, but I don't think he was replaced. Ariza if he wasn't just playing up for the contract year again is a very nice player. Is that it though?

It looks like they picked up Scola again and Terry, but both are pretty much washed up at this point as far as I can tell. Does Terrence Jones step up and become a more reliable shooter? They benched him for Asik the last four games of the series vs Portland, maybe they're going away from him. Who else is a rotation-worthy player on this squad? You know what you're getting from Dwight/Harden/Beverley (and presumably Ariza), but unless Scola/Terry find the fountain of youth, one or two surprise players show up big time (Jones and Daniels, maybe?), I think they're one or two legitimate pieces away from being relevant in the conference.

We got scola!?!?!? lol, thats news to me.

lol I feel dumb now since I can't find it anywhere else, but for some reason B-R lists him as on your roster:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015.html

Myst be an error. Can't find other sources substantiating that.

[ronnymac2]

That's weird, I thought Scola was on Houston, too.

[Witzig-Okashi]

I actually think if any of the teams in the west are to fall out, it'd be Houston (and besides, I want Phoenix to make it so badly)

I suppose if you see an emergence of Dwight back in his best days in Orlando (09-11), it's possible, along with consistent bench production. Out of all the playoff teams from last year in the WC, it's Houston's that I'm most concerned about. Ariza I think will do fine. During his first stint in Houston, he received all of that attention due to that good PS stretch he had. He's more established now as a season vet.

[cloudng8]

Hmm, not sure.

I think SA and the Clippers finish ahead of them. OKC should as well, unless KD misses a ton of time, and they fall apart without him.

The Mavs are also a legitimate darkhorse, and it would actually not shock me if *they* finished top 2 in the West.

Realistically, Houston doesn't have enough depth. Asik might not have been a huge factor given the situation with Dwight last year, but at least there's not a huge defensive drop off (if any at all). Lin is replaceable, but I don't think he was replaced. Ariza if he wasn't just playing up for the contract year again is a very nice player. Is that it though?

It looks like they picked up Scola again and Terry, but both are pretty much washed up at this point as far as I can tell. Does Terrence Jones step up and become a more reliable shooter? They benched him for Asik the last four games of the series vs Portland, maybe they're going away from him. Who else is a rotation-worthy player on this squad? You know what you're getting from Dwight/Harden/Beverley (and presumably Ariza), but unless Scola/Terry find the fountain of youth, one or two surprise players show up big time (Jones and Daniels, maybe?), I think they're one or two legitimate pieces away from being relevant in the conference.

We got scola!?!?!? lol, thats news to me.

lol I feel dumb now since I can't find it anywhere else, but for some reason B-R lists him as on your roster:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015.html

Myst be an error. Can't find other sources substantiating that.

Its probably because hes such a huge fan favorite. lol.

[Jaivl]

lol I feel dumb now since I can't find it anywhere else, but for some reason B-R lists him as on your roster:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/2015.html

Myst be an error. Can't find other sources substantiating that.

Maybe has something to be with the amnesty?

[GSP]

I think theres a better chance they miss the playoffs TBH

[Woodsanity]

There is a higher chance that the Rockets don't make the playoffs at all.

[JordansBulls]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs

You gotta be kidding me here? They have arguably the best player in the league and another top 5 player on the team.

[LarsV8]

Rockets could land anywhere from 10th to 3rd.

West is pretty crazy.

[Colbinii]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs

You gotta be kidding me here? They have arguably the best player in the league and another top 5 player on the team.

What? We aren't talking about the Thunder...

[DEEP3CL]

No depth....

No proven back up C, PG or SF

Bench will lack scoring punch, no one on that bench capable of scoring 15 pts consistently.

Everybody props Ariza's defense, Trevor is better at reading passing lanes than being a lock up man. But Trevor alone won't help them as long as Harden sleeps on rotations.

I see them falling way back...probably not making it if Morey can't fix their depth issues, that's going to be their undoing.

[mdonnelly1989]

Offensively gifted lol. Joke thread

Sounds like the jokes on you eh?

[mdonnelly1989]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs

Wow.

[bondom34]

I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the playoffs

Wow.

[RSCD3_]

I'll say that my post on the first page was a joke because I thought everyone was hating on the rockets.

[te887848]

Due to injuries to OKC and a silly rule favoring division winners that screwed over LAC, they did get the 2 seed.