RealGM

With the Artest trade that's going to happen, where is Houston now in the Wild Wild West?

I put them right behind the Lakers & Hornets, I think they are defenitely now better than the Suns, Spurs, Jazz, and Mavs.

Obviously the real question is their health come playoffs time, but I think they'd had enough experience to get past that. Yes it's an odd year but the Spurs are gonna show their age. The Suns are lost as they don't know if they want to run the half court offense or the fast break run n gun. Mavs acquired a new coach and the Kidd trade didn't pay dividends. And the Jazz are so outta luck, now their trash talking against Rockets fans will back fire and their trophy case is still empty.

Spurs
Hornets
Rockets
Lakers
...

Lakers get precedence because they came out of the conference but Houston is equal to them and the Hornets and Spurs finish the top 4.

1. Lakers
2. Rockets
3. Hornets
4-15. Everyone else.

1. Lakers
2. Rockets
3. Hornets
4. jazz

I am not a big Artest fan, but you can't deny his abilities. I think the Rockets can win their Division and get a second seed in the playoffs. Good move by the Rockets.

Probably behind the Lakers when 100% healthy.

Obviously the real question is their health come playoffs time, but I think they'd had enough experience to get past that. Yes it's an odd year but the Spurs are gonna show their age. The Suns are lost as they don't know if they want to run the half court offense or the fast break run n gun. Mavs acquired a new coach and the Kidd trade didn't pay dividends. And the Jazz are so outta luck, now their trash talking against Rockets fans will back fire and their trophy case is still empty

Yeah yeah yeah, every year the Rockets do something that makes everyone predict how great they are going to be and every year it never materializes and every year all the Rocket fans have is their pair of championships they won when VHS was still relevant.

Iggyemu wrote:Probably behind the Lakers when 100% healthy.

Many people seem to be putting Lakers on the level of their own in the West...i dont see that, i think the Hornets and Rockets are right on par with them.

Nate505 wrote:

Obviously the real question is their health come playoffs time, but I think they'd had enough experience to get past that. Yes it's an odd year but the Spurs are gonna show their age. The Suns are lost as they don't know if they want to run the half court offense or the fast break run n gun. Mavs acquired a new coach and the Kidd trade didn't pay dividends. And the Jazz are so outta luck, now their trash talking against Rockets fans will back fire and their trophy case is still empty

Yeah yeah yeah, every year the Rockets do something that makes everyone predict how great they are going to be and every year it never materializes and every year all the Rocket fans have is their pair of championships they won when VHS was still relevant.

Last time I checked those pair of championships they won when VHS was still relevant still equals more than the winning of Jazz well since Caveman.

shobe_81 wrote:Last time I checked those pair of championships they won when VHS was still relevant still equals more than the winning of Jazz well since Caveman.

In that case the Warriors have more bragging rights over the Rockets as they have won three NBA championships. Of course most people would be hard pressed to remember when the last one they won was. After a period of time past success from a franchise becomes irrelevant, at least in terms of bragging. Soon you start to look like Al Bundy bragging about your four touchdowns you scored in one game.

Lol @ both of the laker haters in here being Heat fans.

We get the point.. We ruined your teams future by giving you Snaq & you're bitter Dwade will never ever come close to being Kobe.

We match-up better with the Lakers now.

We had the edge against the Hornets at the start of our streak; Yao will dominate.

Spurs we will have to grind out the win, it is the biannual for them, but they haven't made any great moves so far

Jazz we've played with clear limitations. These are somewhat gone now.

Suns with Shaq is a much better prospect than Suns w/Marion. We are much, much deeper than them and this will count.

Dallas - make it a even-playing field and we should win

I think Houston is right there with anyone on Paper, they are as good as the Celtics, Lakers, or Hornets on paper. Health has always been the major issue with Houston, because I've felt they have always been very close to a top elite team when fully healthy. They certainly can be the best in the league if they click, and stay healthy, but until then, I'd say they are behind the Celtics, Lakers, and Hornets.

As a Lakers fan The only thing that scares me about Rockets now is they have Battier/Artest!

Battier is probably the best 1 on 1 defender against Kobe and to have Artest giving Kobe some good defense and then have Battier come off the bench really scares me.

The good news is Yao is still soft!

1. Lakers- Western Conference Champs are the team to beat.
2. Rockets- Artests puts us on top
3 Hornets- Defending Southwest Champs are getting better
4. Spurs- Still a good defensive team

I'd love for Lakers-Rockets match-up in the playoffs

Alston/Francis/Brooks on Fisher/Vujacic/Farmar
T-Mac/Artest/Battier on Kobe/Odom
Scola/Landry (hopefully)/Dorsey/Yao on Gasol/Bynum

What a series that would be.

I dont see why everyone likes the Lakers so much. If the Spurs had played a 100% defensive minded game plan like they did against the Cavs they would have stopped Kobe and won. Instead they played them like they do other west teams and lost. They also had just gotten through playing 2 of the best teams in the league Suns and then Hornets.

I like the Suns though with a better coach and with plenty of time to adjust to the new style.

Anyone the rockets play is going to be a monster series. It might as well be a 3 way tie to me.

1. Suns
2. Spurs
3. Rockets

4. Lakers
5. Hornets

You can't have the Suns at #1. They've had their chance. 08-09 really is their last hurrah

SPuL wrote:Lol @ both of the laker haters in here being Heat fans.

We get the point.. We ruined your teams future by giving you Snaq & you're bitter Dwade will never ever come close to being Kobe.

People like you that give Laker fans a bad name. Oh noes, you don't think Lakers are #1 you must be hater.

I think the Spurs are the best team in the league and predict they will win the championship this year. I predict the Hornets are right there with them but the Spurs experience pushes them over the top. I see the Lakers and Rockets as being close to one another but the Rockets top three are better than the Lakers top three. So yeah, I put the Rockets ahead of the Lakers.

P.S. Thanks for ruining our future by giving us Shaq and a Championship. I'm sure we'll be cursing the Lakers for our doom and gloom while we watch a team with a core of Wade, Marion and Beasley.