Keeping Things In Perspective: A look at the west against the west

This is disturbing b/c it comes with very few injuries to our players...unlike SAC, Lakers, etc...

 

All stats reset in game 1, round 1. We make the playoffs and everything changes. I wouldn't look into this too much, it does suck, but lets just focus on getting into the playoffs. Thats this year's #1 goal

 

Not to mention the Rockets record against West teams on the road...

 

So what are you going to do with your spare time after you leave the BBS when the Rockets make the playoffs?

 

well, IF that happens, I might try doing some work.

 

I don't find it disturbing at all. Apart from being the only WC playoff team with a new coach (one radically different from their old coach...

The Rockets were 10-2 vs MEM, PHX and DEN last season. The Rox are only 2-5 so far this season. The 5 losses include Cuttino fouling Voshon Lenard behind the arc with 12 seconds in the game, horrible execution in both MEM games, and the SuperBowl game with PHX. They could easily have been 5-2 giving them a .556 percentage.

Further...
We're 30-22. If 46 wins guarantees a playoff spot, we need 16 more.

There are 6 more EC games...TOR, MIL, ATL, NO, CLE, WAS. If we can do no more than split with them, all we need is .500 ball from the 24 games below....

3 w/ DAL...0-1
2 w/ GSW...2-0
2 w/ LAC...2-0
2 w/ LAL...2-0
2 w/ MIN...1-1
2 w/ POR...1-1
2 w/ SAC...0-2
1 w/ SA...0-3
2 w/ SEA...0-2
1 w/ UTA...2-1
2 w DEN...1-1
2 w MEM...0-2
1 w/ PHX...1-2

 

Work.....what is that?

 

we should go 14-10 the rest of the way and finish .500 against the west

 

I've tried it.

Guess which activity is better.

 

This is what I see.

Four teams have given us nine losses out of 16.

San Antonio- 3Losses - SA plays our game but smarter, has more experience, and a bit more depth.

Sacramento – 2 Losses -Is deeper, smarter, and gives us match-up problems.

Memphis-2 Losses- Smarter, faster, gives us match-up problems.

Seattle. - Don’t really know why they’ve beat us twice so far, but Seattle has always been a thorn in the Rocket’s side.

Two teams I worry about we’ve only played once.

Dallas- 1 loss- See Sacramento then multiply it times two. Hate to be pessimistic, but I don’t see us winning against them.

Denver- 1 loss – definite home field advantage. We need to split or take the series.

The rest of the West we are either have parity with or own.

I say we make the playoffs if we can get a handle on Memphis and Denver, and the Rockets as well as everyone else maintains the same level of performance. Check my math, but do we need to even win against Dal, Sac, or SA if we do that?

BUT…

Until we get more depth, a playmaking PG to replace or add to Francis, and a PF that combines Cato, and Taylor’s strengths, I don’t think we are going to threaten SA, Dal, or Sac in a playoff series. I just don’t think we have the pieces yet.

 

Your pretty much talking about a Chris Webber or Tim Duncan

 

"Your pretty much talking about a Chris Webber or Tim Duncan"

Your right, didn't mean to make it sound that unrealistic, I ment to say a pf with some of the strengths of both, or to be more specific a quicker footed Cato with a consistent short/med range jumper,(that still might be a little much to hope for.). If Weatherspoon was a tad younger or maybe a little taller, he'd be the kind of guy I'm talking about.

 

I was going to update my Projection thread . But I guess posting here is appropriate too.

Simple Projection: 47 wins

Against the Odds Projection: 47 wins

Good Teams Bad Teams Projection: 46 wins

Good Teams, Bad Teams, Home Games Road Games Projection: 47 wins


At the end of December, the numbers were 44, 46, 44, 46. About a month ago, they were 47, 48, 45, 45. Compared to the present 47, 47, 46, 47, it's roughly two games improvment from December and one game improvement from January. And all the projections are coming together now. So I think a prediction of a 48-win season is probably fairly accurate.

 

sounds like with 30 games left and 46 being the magic number we need to win roughly half to make the playoffs. or 16 (1 game over .500) for the rest of the season. That would worry me with Memphis in the mix since they own the tie breaker against us and also battling for the last spots.

I actually hope the Rox can pick up their game.. and win alot more games. I think a 50 win season is actually possible. SF3 has been struggling, Yao has been struggling but both have just started coming on lately, and we still have a decent record holding onto a 6th or 7th seed. Looks to me like we will be bringing the thunder the second half of this season and close out with 50 wins and lock up 6th.

Minnesota (I dont see them faltering any time soon)
San Antonio (They have Duncan what can I say)
Los Angeles (Maybe a lil too late once all the pieces are back)
Sacramento (Easy first half/ get much tougher)
Dallas (Doing well now but who do they bump down?)
Houston (Big 3 just starting to warm up expect a strong 2nd half)
?
?

J