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Guy986 wrote:

DGrangeRx33 wrote:I wouldn't say the Rockets have a weak cast..

I think he has been great, but I wouldn't say he is having an MVP season either. Hard to overcome LeBron and Durant.

Rockets have the #1 highest scoring team in the league and Chandler Parsons is 2nd on the team in scoring @14ppg.

Rockets really still need a number 2 option.

Maybe...but also shows the have quality depth.

mj234eva wrote:

BaunceyChillups wrote:Rockets win like 17 games without Harden this year

False.

nah it's true

Jeremy Lin as a number 1 option is the worst team in the league

BaunceyChillups wrote:

mj234eva wrote:

BaunceyChillups wrote:Rockets win like 17 games without Harden this year

False.

nah it's true

Jeremy Lin as a number 1 option is the worst team in the league

Without Harden because of injury or if the trade wasn't made? If the latter then K-mart would still be the number one option.

BaunceyChillups wrote:

mj234eva wrote:

BaunceyChillups wrote:Rockets win like 17 games without Harden this year

False.

nah it's true

Jeremy Lin as a number 1 option is the worst team in the league

Did you forget they traded guys to get Harden? They also won 34 games last season, and had loads of injuries...

Don't see him finishing any higher than 5th. Rockets would need a top 5 record in the league for him to finish any higher.

He is definitely very valuable to his team. He bails them out on several occasions (I say this because I'm a Lin fan so I've seen it first hand). However, as a player I believe he is slightly overrated. It's hard to say but I don't see him as that high of an impact player. It's like the Rockets shouldn't be winning but they are. But you could say they've had an easy schedule.

mj234eva wrote:
Did you forget they traded guys to get Harden? They also won 34 games last season, and had loads of injuries...

Not the same team as last year. Rockets lost 4 of their top 5 scorers via free agency or amnesty. They lost Scola, Lowry, Dragic and Lee.

Guy986 wrote:

DGrangeRx33 wrote:I wouldn't say the Rockets have a weak cast..

I think he has been great, but I wouldn't say he is having an MVP season either. Hard to overcome LeBron and Durant.

Rockets have the #1 highest scoring team in the league and Chandler Parsons is 2nd on the team in scoring @14ppg.

Rockets really still need a number 2 option.

Part of the problem with other Rockets players is that they're not consistent. One of them may score 20+ in one game but only digital pts in the next one. Parsons didn't have a high scoring game for a while till today. Lin is really inconsistent, the same go with Asik, Morris and Ppts. Also their bench can score a lot but also inconsistent. TD, Greg Smith and Delfino all have high scoring games and bad games.
The good thing is that at least they usually take turns to step up every game.

mj234eva wrote:
Did you forget they traded guys to get Harden? They also won 34 games last season, and had loads of injuries...

Dragic, Lowry, Scola and Courtney Lee weren't traded for Harden

gordito wrote:Anyone think he'll make the 1st team over Kobe?

Not a chance.

Rockets have been very healthy all year, and they play at an extremely high pace which can lead to slowdown post all-star break. While I think Houston makes the playoffs it will be tough to maintain this pace.

Guy986 wrote:

mj234eva wrote:
Did you forget they traded guys to get Harden? They also won 34 games last season, and had loads of injuries...

Not the same team as last year. Rockets lost 4 of their top 5 scorers via free agency or amnesty. They lost Scola, Lowry, Dragic and Lee.

But would still have Martin, Lin, Asik, Parsons (who I really like), among other players. So, so no I doubt they'd be that bad.

And like I said before, even with all their injures (Lowry missed almost 20 games and Martin missed more than 25) and they still ended over .500.

colts18 wrote:The Rockets are on pace to win 50 games and Harden is averaging 27-5-5, .600 TS% and playing great ball with a weak cast that was gutted by Morey during the offseason. Is he is in the same tier as Durant, LeBron if the Rockets win 55 games?

In a weaker year of candidates absolutely. At this point I think by season's end I'll consider his performance more of an MVP year than Rose's actual MVP year was.

This is however a very strong year for candidates. Frankly it's hard to see anyone other than LeBron or Durant winning, and if it is, it seems like that would be because either the Clippers have the best record or the Knicks take the #1 seed in the East and people go a little nuts.

mj234eva wrote:

Guy986 wrote:

mj234eva wrote:
Did you forget they traded guys to get Harden? They also won 34 games last season, and had loads of injuries...

Not the same team as last year. Rockets lost 4 of their top 5 scorers via free agency or amnesty. They lost Scola, Lowry, Dragic and Lee.

But would still have Martin, Lin, Asik, Parsons (who I really like), among other players. So, so no I doubt they'd be that bad.

And like I said before, even with all their injures (Lowry missed almost 20 games and Martin missed more than 25) and they still ended over .500.

Rockets wont be 17 win bad obviously but a team consisted of Lin, Martin, Parsons, Morris, Asik would be a terrible half court offensive team. Martin is just a spot up 3pt shooter at this point. Lin would have to work his linsanity magic just to come close to having a top 10 offense.

Doctor MJ wrote:

colts18 wrote:The Rockets are on pace to win 50 games and Harden is averaging 27-5-5, .600 TS% and playing great ball with a weak cast that was gutted by Morey during the offseason. Is he is in the same tier as Durant, LeBron if the Rockets win 55 games?

In a weaker year of candidates absolutely. At this point I think by season's end I'll consider his performance more of an MVP year than Rose's actual MVP year was.

This is however a very strong year for candidates. Frankly it's hard to see anyone other than LeBron or Durant winning, and if it is, it seems like that would be because either the Clippers have the best record or the Knicks take the #1 seed in the East and people go a little nuts.

Knicks have cooled tremendously since their hot start. 13-4 in their 1st 17, 10-7 in their last. 5 of those losses coming in the last couple weeks. Think Melo has missed a couple of those though.

Guy986 wrote:Rockets wont be 17 win bad obviously but a team consisted of Lin, Martin, Parsons, Morris, Asik would be a terrible half court offensive team. Martin is just a spot up 3pt shooter at this point. Lin would have to work his linsanity magic just to come close to having a top 10 offense.

That was my point, they'd win more than 17, I was thinking more in the low to mid 30s.

And Martins fta's have dropped the last couple years but he still gets their a decent amount of times for a guy that's primarily perimeter based.

Rockets are kind of overachieving now so his team won't be as good as other top candidates' teams in the end. Lebron, Durant and CP3.. It's gonna be hard to decide between these three. CP3 is so underrated because people look at basic individuals stats and see 17/9/4 but no other player in the league is more valuable to his team. I mean take CP3 out and Clips instantly becomes a mediocre team. His impact is off the charts.

If the Rockets win around 55 games or more, then yes.

Lebron, Durant, and CP3 all have much better teammates. Each have at least another all-star on their team. Still, Harden is not quite on their level. He is not a master, yet.

mj234eva wrote:

Doctor MJ wrote:

colts18 wrote:The Rockets are on pace to win 50 games and Harden is averaging 27-5-5, .600 TS% and playing great ball with a weak cast that was gutted by Morey during the offseason. Is he is in the same tier as Durant, LeBron if the Rockets win 55 games?

In a weaker year of candidates absolutely. At this point I think by season's end I'll consider his performance more of an MVP year than Rose's actual MVP year was.

This is however a very strong year for candidates. Frankly it's hard to see anyone other than LeBron or Durant winning, and if it is, it seems like that would be because either the Clippers have the best record or the Knicks take the #1 seed in the East and people go a little nuts.

Knicks have cooled tremendously since their hot start. 13-4 in their 1st 17, 10-7 in their last. 5 of those losses coming in the last couple weeks. Think Melo has missed a couple of those though.

Yup, I expect some comedown for them. I don't expect Melo to really be an MVP contender at the season's end, I just see how it could happen. With Harden on the other hand, I really just don't see an avenue for him to get there short of injuries to other players.