10 replies to this topic

[Red94]

New post: Houston Rockets @ Cleveland Cavaliers on 01/05/2013

[DaDakota]

They are beating the teams they are supposed to beat - even when they struggle. Way ahead of schedule, IMO.

[Red94]

New post: Houston Rockets 112, Cleveland Cavaliers 104: Where Kyrie Irving is amazing, but James Harden is even better.

[Johnny Rocket]

I totally agree with DaDakota. To win the 2nd of a back-to-back on the road--and the 4th game in five nights--is terrific no matter who you are playing. To play well bellow your abilities and still win is a mark of a strong team.

[Rahat Huq]

The Rockets should not be this good.

[feelingsupersonic]

Could the Rockets be this good or this ahead of schedule because McHale is actually a good coach, and/or some of Morey's analytics are paying dividends and more than anything else just maybe having a star player makes that much of a difference.

[amacbrooks12]

Has to be a combination of all three. We have to finally give Mchale some props for the way he has coached this team, motivated them, and pushed them through games and tough stretches. Daryl Morey also deserves some credit for aquiring Harden in the first place, the signing of Delfino ( which everyone questioned at first ), and for keeping our bench with young players full of potential. And of course James Harden is the other reason why we are overachieving and ahead of schedule with his consistent superstar play and late game heroics. I am so proud of this team right now.

[feelingsupersonic]

I agree with what you have written amacbrooks12 it's a combination of all 3 and I am proud of this team as well. I wish I was getting to watch them more.

[Dan G]

Sigh I wish I was getting to watch them at all. I got to see the national televised games but I gave up watching them on the computer using firstrow and others like it. Too many ads and too poor quality. It's a shame because I am missing the best season the Rockets have had in quite some time, but thankfully it looks like this is just the beginning of something great.

[Bigtkirk]

In terms of Wins Produced to date, Harden has been the best SG in the league, Parsons is a top 10 SF, and Asik and Lin are both top 15 players at their positions. So, PF is the only below NBA-average position on the team. Smith's play off the bench has been a pleasant surprise, and Delfino and Douglas have had their moments in between stretches of mediocrity. Inasmuch as there is a good chance that Asik, Lin and Smith will continue to improve, and it seems likely that Harden and Parsons will continue to play at a high level, my sense is that the Rockets are well-positioned to become the surprise NBA team of the season.

[Jeby]

@RahatHuq - You're right. They shouldn't. Neither should the Warriors. The Lakers shouldn't be this bad. But as the old saying goes, "that's why they play the game."
But I think their success also shows how far you can get with one elite scorer, one elite defensive big, and a handful of shooters (Delfino, Patterson, Morris, Douglas). I mean, Dallas basically won the championship with that formula two years ago. All of their respective role-players were a step up from what the Rockets have though.