So when the trade deadline happens.. we felt screwed, that rockets didn't pull a big name.. so lets see how its been working out.. Raptors signed Gasol who is averaging 8 points in 12 games.. Valunciunas is averaging 19 points and 9 boards for Grizzlies (so who is winning that trade).. Mirotic is averaging 11 points and Pau is averaging 1.3 for bucks. I think bucks will win the trade but Mirotic is not looking anywhere the type of player he was with Pelicans.. Philly got Tobias Harris who is good, but Landry Shamet appears to be a stud averaging 12 points for clippers at 47% 3 point shooting and the 2021 miami unprotected pick will hurt the sixers future prospects hard, as that could be a top 5 pick and thats suppose to be a talented class. we signed Faried through free agency who is putting up 15 and 10 in 17 games, a free agent signing of Rivers again averaging 10 point and above average defender in 34 games played and finally a D league signing of House again 9 points.. all players coming of the bench, to give us one of the most underrated benches in the NBA.. and allowing the luxury of having Gordon starting, where he seems to be thriving.. I have to admit I lost faith in Morrey, but now with all thats transpired and how the good team has looked, even when Harden and Paul play like trash gives us alot of hope.. Go Rockets and Go Morrey, he is the actual MVP of the team
For his magnificent standard, this is just average Wizardry. Hold him to a higher standard. Should be dominating with the best player on the planet tbh.
I am saying under rated, because statistically we are rated last.. but we know with House, Green, Faried and Rivers, they are capable of being atleast, a middle of the pack bench.. and thats all we need.. We have one of the highest scoring starting five.. Capela, EG and Paul are all averaging better then 15 points per game.. Our starting five is averaging well over 85 points per game, getting consistent 30-35 of the bench should be all we need.. We are right now dead last with 26 ppg, last year we were at 29.5...
we felt screwed? not really. you don't speak for everyone else that rode with the rockets, knowing that once all of capela, cp3, harden, and gordon were all back healthy they would be just fine. their record together speaks for itself. Coupled with the additions of the rest of the depth, they were always going to get back to being an actual contender pending full health It was never about getting some big name at the deadline. that's was purely for all the usual sky is falling crew but this season has been all about injuries after the initial disaster of off-season acquisitions. hardly anyone listened to @Plowman when he told people to get on the rockets at 35-1 in december. Once this team got their guys back healthy, they would be rolling. Many of you are surprised by the rockets resurgence, while many of us who took full account of what has transpired this season certainly are not
we weren't optimistic, because we started 11-14 just about being on full health, when CP3 went down we were 9-9, Carmelo was a big time net negative as were Ennis, MCW and Chriss.. this team was missing Ariza, Luc and to a certain extent Ryno.. We made all the changes organically and without disrupting future prospects.. We have players on the bench now who can on a given night go for a 25 point game (green, Rivers and Manimal).. 25 games is a big chunk of the season, I always knew we would be a playoff team, but I honest didn't think we would resurrect in this manner without getting another big name.
I was telling my girlfriend about how this site went from panic about the deadline to dissatisfied over wins. Fit is everything and frankly Ennis, Knight and Chriss weren't good fits. Shump might be and House definitely is a good fit. The deadline was the anti-splash event of all events, but getting Shump, Rivers and Manimal over the season rather than at the deadline.. that was huge. This team is built for the playoffs and we have 10 solid contributors that can play effectively out there. Harden CP Capela Tuck Gordon Rivers Faried Greenlight House Shumpert Nene that's a solid 11 and very top heavy. Pretty much what you want in the playoffs. That and health.
and this goes back to the overreaction of a bad start. and no 25 games is not a big chunk of the season, which clearly illustrates the dramatic panic I just posted about. a few weeks ago cf's was acting as if the 3rd seed was just impossible. the rockets reached that in a span of a 9 game win streak at full health. Now look at what the talk is about now. Getting to the #1 seed. again you may be one of those but many of us weren't.
are we okay with Jones as the 12th man? or we need to sign another vet Center or 3rd PG as insurance for the playoffs..Gortat or anyone?
Probably would be over the past few years if there wasn't a team with the #2, #6, #15, #20, #30 best players selling out to avoid being competitive.
I dont think Gortat fits well in our system... He tries to play more of the post and is not the best runner from high pick and roll positions, his rebounding and shot blocking has also declined now that he is 35
Not counting my chickens yet, but I agree. I'm going to be scrutinizing our performance (especially our bench) in every game from here until the playoffs because I feel that this is the best depth Harden has had in a while, and I want it to gel. I'm not rooting against Shumpert or House or asking anyone to be dropped from the rotation. I want everyone to find their niche.
In all fairness, I dont think this version of Cousins is a top 30 player (thank God).. Neither is Green playing like a top 20 player, and Klay is not 15.. But Steph is definitely #4 behind Harden, Giannis and KD, he is currently ahead of Lebron the way he has played this year..
Haha. Yeah I was being a little snarky with the rankings. I'm glad to see Draymond isn't being overrated anymore. I'd like to see Klay DROP in people's minds though. If the non-MVP guys ever step out of the Golden State spotlight, there will be a little bit of the Harrison Barnes / Luke Walton effect. But for the past 2-3 years, they've been a historically dominant team and the KD signing pretty much shut the door on traditionally built good teams like James Harden's Rockets to write their own stories.
speaking of hartenstein, i hope he's gonna be on the playoff roster. we need insurance for nene/capela
