We are good. We may coast to a 1-6 seed but health is our key. Calm down. If Paul and Harden play a full postseason, we party like 1995. I hate the haters. #makersmark
Don't know if I'm confident enough to agree with you and say we can win it all, but... I do agree that our team is good. This season has '07-'08 vibes imo, rather than than '15-'16. I remember going into that season, the Rockets were ranked #1 on Power Rankings everywhere, but we had a pretty slow start to the season. Additionally, at the end of that season, there wasn't a huge discrepancy in W-L record between the 1st and 8th seeds in the Western Conference. As long as we're a top 4 seed, I'd be content with that considering we're not having a wonderful start currently. I think as the season progresses, we'll see some better chemistry. Ennis is definitely starting to show he's getting more comfortable in the Ariza role with better ability to slash. We have an albeit old, but quality backup C in Nene who's back from injury. Knight has apparently made good progress in regards to his injury. House has been a nice surprise for the team. I know a lot of posters here like to talk down on him because he was a late FA pickup that no other team wanted, but hey, that was Gerald Green last year. I'm confident Morey is working the phones to try to find us some better bench help. We definitely will need it because injuries will happen again as the season progresses. Morey has shown time and time again that he is quick to fix his mistakes roster-wise, and I won't doubt him now.
Nope. This team when healthy would go down to a healthy Warriors team in 6. We need to add someone who can get minutes at the 3/4, and if we trade Knight then we need a backup 1 as well.
I don't understand this at all. Everyone expects any sort of player that comes in through those doors to possess all-world offense and defense - and if they don't show out in the first few games, they get heavily criticized.
I love your positive outlook. It’s nice to see an uplifting thread early on a Sunday morning. I love the team too, but it’s kinda weird for me right now. I am sure that significant roster changes will be made December 15th and beyond. I love EG, but will he have to be included in trade to upgrade the roster and add depth? Whenever I get excited about BK’s progress, I have to temper myself knowing he may not be here much longer. Same for Nene. Love him, but know he too may be on his way out. If Morey cleans house, we may be loving a significantly different team in the near future.
imo: That statement could stand some disclaimers. Assuming full health: Warriors will beat *this* team in 6, if Capela stops improving on a trajectory he currently is on. Assuming full health: Warriors will beat *this* team in 6, if our offensive and defensive chemistry doesn't continue improving, as one would expect (and we see flashes of) due to extra year core being together. And I mean tangible chemistry that Coach's see and so they implement more offensive plays and defensive wrinkles. Assuming full health of Cousins: Rockets cannot beat Warriors despite #1 and #2, if Cousins contributes positively.
per basketball-reference.com ( Ast% ) CP3 (17/18) 46.9% (18/19) 38.3% Harden (17/18) 45.1% (18/19) 43.4% GGreen (17/18) 4.3% (18/19) 4.5% E Gordon (17/18) 12.3% (18/19) 9.2% B Knight (15/16) 24.4% ——— \ Bad Suns (16/17) 17.8%———- / teams So I believe Knight brings promise (offensively!! ). Allows both Harden and CP3 more rest and less stress. For @Williamson sake: MCW (18//19) 21.4% (ast%)........if only the rest of his game was better. Maybe with more practice
Fair points. I just think there is one gigantic issue that dwarfs everything else, which is that we simply don't have enough quality minutes coming from our forwards. Tucker is gold. Ennis, assuming he keeps improving, will be useful. That's a very weak top 2, and everyone else in the forward rotation is a concern. The minutes are heavy, we have 6 guys playing at their absolute maximum stamina to beat non-contenders 20 games into the season. IMO we could have taken one of games 6 or 7 if not for fatigue, and we are allowing that to unfold again. I'm not worried about Cousins tbh. He could very well end up being a positive for them, while at the same time being a negative when playing us. I think we are going to test his surgeon's work when he's on the floor. Capela has fared well against him too, which bodes well for us. I am always optimistic about Clint, but it's because his pattern is so precise: Hard work offseason Slow start Go on a hot streak Slow down slightly Some concerning showings before the playoffs Upgraded Clint in the playoffs Back to work in the offseason
I loved last year’a team. I was out of my mind for the entire playoffs. This year’s team has yet to come close to inducing that kind of fervor. My heart is ready though but it ain’t on me.
The team you start the season with does not have to be the team you finish the season with. Why do we continue to forget this?
To give you an idea of the "flashes" of tweaking the offense. We saw MDA invent of new play that's never been done before by the Rockets, possibly never by any team. It's actually a wrinkle to an existing play, somewhat similar to how Rudy invented the perimeter Houston Fist-up out of normal midrange Pick-n-Pop plays, MDA has taken a perimeter play and moved it into the midrange area, specifically to leverage team chemistry from last year for a new play for Chris Paul this year. The play is a midrange Pistol (aka 21) into Double Drag. A play we run on the perimeter as a bread n butter play. The advantage of this play is due to it being much closer to the rim defenses *must* switch the drags, and it takes help defense from the perimeter completely out of the play. The disadvantages is spacing, as three defenders are also closer to the rim. But it's designed for one of the best passers and midrange shooters in the history of the game, so if anyone can beat a clogged lane with defenders in fleeting mismatches, Paul can. I've been lazy creating the videos for it, and partly because the bbs was in depression mode, so wouldn't have gone over well. Maybe have time before next game. We did it in the first Detroit game.
Damn bro, I appreciate the run down. Actually had to look some of those things up, but worth the education.
