Best Case/Worst Case from a non-fan

[eliasrapp98]

Hey Rocket's board. I am a Sixers' fan, but I wanted to share my two cents on your team as I think it is an interesting topic as you guys are the most potential based team in the league. Here's my best case/worst case.

Best Case: Jeremy Lin looks like he did in January/February last year, James Harden improves and proves he deserves a max contract, Chandler Parsons becomes a top 40 player and becomes a large part of your team, one of your 102 PFs becomes something decent, and Asik becomes a serviceable good center that can match up with some of the better centers of the west.

BEST CASE PREDICTION: 50-32, 3rd in the west

Worst Case: Jeremy Lin shows that his one flash last season was just luck and he is only a decent PG, Harden is still top 35, but isn't worth the max, but will leave without it, Parsons doesn't improve or maybe declines, none of your PFs are good, and Asik shows he's nothing more than a good backup center.

WORST CASE PREDICTION: 40-42, 9th in the west lotto team

Realistic Case: Jeremy Lin doesn't look AS good as last year, but is still a top 12 PG, Harden looks like a top 5 SG, but not totally worth all the money as he is a little one-dimensional but still good, Parsons improves from last year into a top 50 player, Patterson is average but not great, Asik is a solid starter, but not fantastic.

REALISTIC CASE PREDICTION: 46-36, 4-5th in the west

[Mr. E]

Nice write-up. Thank you for your take on our young team. I agree with a lot of what you say there, tho I have a feeling that you may be a bit optimistic on the "realistic" record. The West is going to be brutal again this year.

When you check back here for replies be warned: many of my fellow Rockets fans want nothing more than for this team to win 3 games this upcoming season (all against Utah) to lock up the #1 pick. I'm not one of those guys - I'd rather see these young players emerge and become something special rather than continuing to look to the future.

That said - I do think that we are, realistically, a "next year" team in terms of really making noise.

Thanks again for the comments!

[zapatasblood]

Harden does not take a 20-25 win team to a 50 et alone 45 win team. 30-40 wins is were I see us and which is no where near as bad as I was hoping. Still young, still unproved.

[eliasrapp98]

Harden does not take a 20-25 win team to a 50 et alone 45 win team. 30-40 wins is were I see us and which is no where near as bad as I was hoping. Still young, still unproved.

This is a best case, worst case though. For example Sixers- Best Case: Everyone's great and we win 60 games. Worst Case: Bynum's hurt, we regress: 38 wins.

[moofs]

I'm expecting maybe a 41-46 win max.
Iirc, my low end prediction was 35.

[texasholdem]

If we make the playoffs then we lose our first rounder to ATL, is that correct?

[SaveTheHens]

I'm a non-Houston fan too but I respect the bold moves your team has made. I hope things pan out, you'll definately need some luck to become a true contendor, but there's nothing wrong with exciting basketball and 2nd round playoff appearances for years to come, especially in the current West. The potential is there, good player development, chemistry and a good coach can really make all this work out. Cheers!

[Guy986]

Worst case scenario is much much worse than .500.


That is so outrageously optimistic.

[Guy986]

Worst case scenario:

Jeremy lin ended up a fluke. Still turning ball over at historic rate without being able to finish in the paint.

None of the rookies/ young players improve.

Asik cant stay out of foul trouble.

We traded for kevin martin back.

Harden shaved his beard accidentally, became depressed, developed anxiety disorder and asked management for permission to bike to every road game.

The world ended in dec.2012



Moret woke up from his terrible nighmare and watch his rockets finish 30-52 and somehow still picking 14 in the draft.

The utah jazz won the nba championship.

[kam_soluusar]

Quote me now. 9th in the west.

[eliasrapp98]

It's funny because I wanted to be a little less optimistic, but thought you guys would freak out. You remind of me of my fellow Eagle's fans when we're 6-7 and the season for some reason is "over". lol

[moofs]

Quote me now. 9th in the west.

9th this year would be a lot better than 9th last year, since we don't have as much urgent need to make dramatic moves.

9th last year was a hindrance, giving us less to work with in creating a trade for an impact player.
We don't have to have another impact player in the immediate future, so the 14th pick is workable now.

[jwise44]

i would love to get a top 10 pick this year

we have our building blocks, wouldn't hurt to get another lotto pick with upside.....cody zeller????

[Woodsanity]

You can't get 4th-5th place in the West with 46 wins. 46 wins would make you 8th seed most likely. You are severely, severely underestimating the West. The Rockets will get 6th seed if Jeremy Lin, Asik, and Harden play like studs and Parsons gets better.

Worst case scenario is 9th-10th seed again.

[fabio]

I think Rox are a huge question mark right now. Personally, I see the team as an underdog that will make some noise, but it all depends on Lin. I think he's the real question mark here, and IMHO, I'd rather have Dragic than him, merely on the fact that Lin is just rolling the dice. If he turns out as the player he was with NYK for that 20 stretch game, then you're up for some exciting season. If the "linsanity" was just a coincidence of some sort, then this season should be take as a rebuilding one.

Other than that, Rockets have a team with no real flashy stars or divas, but some rugged hard workers, the kind that most players won't like to play against. Time will tell, but I'm very curious on how will this work. Again, I think some of the pessimistic ones here will be pleasantly surprised