A Team of Fate?

What can one say? This has been a team of fate and another season of fate. This team did more and went farther than it should have, given the injuries they suffered.

The pundits will continue to chant, "McGrady didn't get out of the first round." And another team will go on to win the championship this year while the Rockets watch from the sidelines. But time will help the Rockets heal and will also let them reflect on an achievement that doesn't come around every year for some team. Given that the average NBA career lasts 5 years, it's been 9 generations since somebody surpassed the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history. Harshly, as Battier noted, success is measured by championships. But by whom?

I remember when the Dallas Cowboys had the monkey on their back about winning a championship, in much the same way as T-mac's first-round tag. They had a gifted running back by the name of Duane Thomas, who actually led them to their first Superbowl victory. When being interviewed about the importance of the Superbowl he said, "If it's such a big deal, then why do they play it (the Superbowl) every year?"

For professional athletes, nothing compares to the achievement of winning a championship. But to brush aside the 22-game win streak as some sort of novelty would be very unfair to this team. To be the holder of the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history is something that their children and grand-children will likely see still standing when these players are in their old age. Now that is an achievement unto itself. And they did it in spite of all that fate could test them with. Injuries to T-mac and Yao and then the news that Yao was out for the season. That's when this team showed a huge heart and discovered talent that was just waiting to answer the call. That's when this team also bonded in a way that only adversity, and then rising above that adversity, can bring.

Given the circumstances, I think the sting of this exit from the playoffs is much less for many fans. With Yao out, McGrady playing on a knee that has been bothering him for much longer than most of us knew or wanted to accept, Landry suffering a knee strain, Rafer Alston going down with a hamstring injury to start the playoffs (and then see his season end in an elimination game when his team had just erased a 19-point lead on Utah's home court) fate finally caught up with the Rockets.

Also, no doubt, there is definitely "homework" for every player on this team. Had they not had some of the deficiencies they have -- finishing around the basket, free-throw percentages and becoming better jump shooters, they might have just as easily had a 3-1 lead in this series going into game five's blowout victory.

But just as fate can be cruel, sometimes what seems to be bad can be a relief after one's best efforts have fallen short. Did we really want to see McGrady keep playing on a knee that could only get worse as the playoffs continued? As far as I'm concerned, he and the team have answered any questions about heart during their win streak. The way they have fought and struggled through this series after the blow of losing Rafer for the first two games, the way they played game 5, that has been icing on the cake for this fan.

Yao's face toward the end of the game said it all. It was a look of sadness, despair, helplessness and shock. No one wanted to believe that the magic of this season would finally come to an end. And magical it has been. One I will never forget. This was the most enjoyable team to watch this last half of a season and most likely in the playoffs. There's something about a blue-collar "team" that plays their heart out each night captures any fan of the sport. For years I've wished for the team to recapture that spirit we all credited Bobby Sura for. Well, we've got one again.

My heart goes out to all the players. It is hard and hurts when you can't beat fate. But these Rockets will live to fight another day.

The echo of Rudy's words, "Never underestimate the heart of a champion!", will always be with this franchise, as well as the moniker, "Clutch City". I truly believe that if it's heart that leads to a championship, then it is only a question of when, not if, for this team. They will grow and improve, they will add pieces to address their weaknesses and they will finally have fate smile on them and allow them a season of health.

A team of fate? A season of fate? On second thought, hardly. This was a season and a team of HEART! Fate? For these Rockets, that's just a temporary distraction. It's time... for fate to put it's helmet on and lace 'em up. This team doesn't quit.