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After Yao went down, the talking heads for the most part concluded that Houston would be the odd team out of the western conference playoffs. Despite being hot at the time. After tonight and another blowout victory the Rockets have won 15 in a row and even more 24 of 27. I think because it was such a big blow to lose Yao, people jumped to conclusions.

What they forgot was that last year when Yao went down for 32 games the Rockets were 20-12. This years team is improved especially at the power forward position with Scola and Landry. Also with the addition of Bobby Jackson, Raefer Alston who is having a career year has someone to give him a breather who is acclimated in the offense.

Two Reasons the Rockets will easily get to the playoffs and have a legitimate shot at homecourt for the first round.

Defense. With Yao gone the rockets actually might get better defensively. Mutumbo is a better shot blocker. Also Landry who is very athletic will get more minutes. The rockets are as good defensively as anyone in the league, and can you remember the last time a team won a title that wasn't defensive minded?

Offense is much better with Adelman's offense. Right now during this run the Rockets are piling up assists averaging 26+ a game during the streak. It took the team a while to get the flow of the new offense but right now they are clicking on all cylinders. It is no coincident that Alston is having his best season as a pro. With Scola and Landry, the rockets have some of the interior scoring they lost with Yao. But the ball movement is really good and now they can score without heavily relying TMAC.

Bottom line without Yao the Rockets are still one of the better teams in the Western conference. With Phoenix looking out of sync, the Hornets being terrible inconsistent, and Utah slowing down, and the Mavs still trying to find themselves after the trade, the Rockets have just as good of a chance than any of those other teams to get homecourt.

The Rockets are just on a roll. I think it's because others don't know how the Rockets play with the other players on the team. The other players can provide more than they are expected. People don't realize that there will be MORE shot attempts now that Yao is gone. T-Mac is not attempting more shot attempts, it's the other players like Carl Landry and Luis Scola. I still don't think the Rockets are one of the upper teams in the West, but I don't think it was right to count the Rockets out. It just fueled McGrady's fire when he heard everyone counting them out. He said that in an interview the day after the Yao injury announcement.

It's either them Denver or Phoenix. And it aint lookin good for Denver or Phoenix.

BTW the Heat in 2006 and the Lakers in 2000, 2001, 2002 were offensive minded teams.

The only teams I'd feel comfortable about making the playoffs are the Spurs, Lakers, and the NW Division winner (likely the Jazz)

Every other team is by no means locked in.

We are playing good basketball. We don't even have to beat any top team from here on in to make the playoffs. We have 12 games against sub-.500 teams that if we can claim, we will have over 50 wins.

Add any 'bonus' victories we can pick up, and hopefully we should be there..

If Phoenix hadn't made the Marion trade I'd be a lot more concerned for Houston.

As it is, I think that Phoenix's move has put them at a serious disadvantage.

They're 2-4 with Shaq on the floor, and they've been blown out by Detroit and New Orleans.

Of their two wins, one was against Memphis, and another against Boston who had just played their third game in four nights.

jradMIT wrote:After Yao went down, the talking heads for the most part concluded that Houston would be the odd team out of the western conference playoffs. Despite being hot at the time. After tonight and another blowout victory the Rockets have won 15 in a row and even more 24 of 27. I think because it was such a big blow to lose Yao, people jumped to conclusions.

What they forgot was that last year when Yao went down for 32 games the Rockets were 20-12. This years team is improved especially at the power forward position with Scola and Landry. Also with the addition of Bobby Jackson, Raefer Alston who is having a career year has someone to give him a breather who is acclimated in the offense.

Two Reasons the Rockets will easily get to the playoffs and have a legitimate shot at homecourt for the first round.

Defense. With Yao gone the rockets actually might get better defensively. Mutumbo is a better shot blocker. Also Landry who is very athletic will get more minutes. The rockets are as good defensively as anyone in the league, and can you remember the last time a team won a title that wasn't defensive minded?

Offense is much better with Adelman's offense. Right now during this run the Rockets are piling up assists averaging 26+ a game during the streak. It took the team a while to get the flow of the new offense but right now they are clicking on all cylinders. It is no coincident that Alston is having his best season as a pro. With Scola and Landry, the rockets have some of the interior scoring they lost with Yao. But the ball movement is really good and now they can score without heavily relying TMAC.

Bottom line without Yao the Rockets are still one of the better teams in the Western conference. With Phoenix looking out of sync, the Hornets being terrible inconsistent, and Utah slowing down, and the Mavs still trying to find themselves after the trade, the Rockets have just as good of a chance than any of those other teams to get homecourt.

I like your analysis but I don't like you use the word "premature". I think Yao is out and the west is loaded, it is pretty normal they writed Rockets off the book. It's time for Rockets to prove they can win and make the offseason without the big fella.

It's pretty much 9 into 8.

I disagree in 2006 the heat were not putting up big numbers, they won especially in the playoffs with defense against Detroit they gave up 86, 92, 83, 78, 91, 78 and against Dallas they gave up 90, 99, 96, 74, 100, 102. Mourning and Shaq were controlling the paint and had several blocks in the games they won. The Heat definately won on the strength of their defense slowing down a high powered dallas team. In those 12 games they only gave up 100 points twice and barely at 100 and 102.

The Lakers 3 peat team was very tough defensively Fox was an excellent defender, Horry, fisher are also good defenders. Shaq and Kobe were great defenders. They had a suffocating defense that was overlooked but was instrumental in path to a 3 peat. They routinely held teams under 90 points and disrupted them offensively. Against NJ 96.5 given up, PHI 93.8. Only in 2000 did they give up more than 100 pts a game in the finals, but that same year they held portland in check with defense.

Wasn't Antoine Walker their second-leading scorer in the finals?

I still think it's pre-mature to say were gonna win the whole thing, but i think were more then capebal of advancing past the 1st round this year. i think werre a faster and more versatile team. just look at battier improvement without yao. even rafer.

Im not saying they are going to win it all, but they are as good as anyone not named San Antonio or LA

jradMIT wrote:Im not saying they are going to win it all, but they are as good as anyone not named San Antonio or LA

Yeah. personally i think only the spurs are better then the rockets. thats when were playing like were playing now.

Having said that, unfortunately i think our streak will come to a end in dallas on friday.

Still cant believe they got rid of bonzi wells.

Quiet-Storm wrote:Still cant believe they got rid of bonzi wells.

Hornets have been losing since they have acquired him.

I didn't write them off, I just didn't know if they could stay in it enough. Might still not be able to.

However, now, I would lean to them staying in it to make the playoffs. Dikembe Mutombo showing he can still be a serious interior presence in significant minutes (amount), being one of the reasons. Maybe not in playing just like last year, but still, stand-out play.

Plus they have chemistry now with an adjusted, more basic, familiar system by Adelman.

T_mac_4eva wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


Yeah. personally i think only the spurs are better then the rockets. thats when were playing like were playing now.

Having said that, unfortunately i think our streak will come to a end in dallas on friday.

Honestly i think we match up good with them the only team in the West that i'm worried about match up wise is L.A. i feel every other team we can beat honestly the offense is top notch and the defense is still good i for one am shocked but even if we just manage to get out of the first round of the playoffs then imagine what the offense will look like next year when Yao comes back

The problem with comparing last year to this year is that last year the West was nowhere near as competitive as it is this year. Its unlikely we'll get through this month with a winning record. Its likely we'll hit a losing streak here pretty soon. One thing I will say about the Rockets is that if you want a poster child for chemistry...the Rockets are that.

Why it was extremely premature to write off the Rockets:

Carl Landry. I've never seen a 2nd rounder have such an immediate impact, the guy is playing like he's an all-star.

GeraldGreen5 wrote:Why it was extremely premature to write off the Rockets:

Carl Landry. I've never seen a 2nd rounder have such an immediate impact, the guy is playing like he's an all-star.

All-star. LOL. He is playing like we need. A guy who can rebound, catch and finish..either dunking or making the open jumper. The guy does his job really well. Thats not all-star...thats a good role player.

Ya'll will spend the offseason eating cheese Doodles like Stephen A Smith to write Houston off this early.

I'm a Houston fan, and theres no doubt in my mind we'll make the playoffs if we continue playing at this level. However going past the first round would be tough without Yao.

1) we have an easier schedule than most teams.
2) we're a good team, best D in league
3) Whole team's playing well lately.