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@  majik19 : (13 October 2015 - 09:09 PM) Apparently we claimed Arsalan Kazemi off waivers from the Hawks today... yet another undersized (6'7") power forward for Morey's cupboard.
@  Mario Peña : (10 October 2015 - 01:12 PM) If your part if the Red94 Fantasy Basketball League check the thread to vote for the date and time for the draft event. Thanks y'all!
@  jorgeaam : (07 October 2015 - 08:47 PM) Guys we need 1 more owner for the Red94 fantasy league, if interested please comment on the post in the fantasy basketball thread
@  slick shoes : (07 October 2015 - 06:50 PM) Kobe ranked one spot higher than Ariza? Is this based on legacy or...??
@  slick shoes : (07 October 2015 - 04:13 PM) It was hard to keep up with both the Astros and Rockets at the same time. Should be interesting on Thursday with the Texans and Astros on simultaneously.
@  Mario Peña : (07 October 2015 - 04:09 PM) It was fun to have the Rockets on last night! Right now I'm watching the Celtics versus Milan and Alessandro Gentile is impressive.
@  jorgeaam : (06 October 2015 - 07:47 PM) Well, thinking twice about it, I'd rather have him score less and have the team as a whole do better. Lawson should take a lot of his load off
@  jorgeaam : (06 October 2015 - 07:47 PM) Loving that, hope he hits 30 PPG this year
@  thejohnnygold : (06 October 2015 - 06:15 PM) Someone is feeling confident :) : LINK
@  jorgeaam : (06 October 2015 - 05:54 PM) 10 Teams done, will need 2 more
@  Mario Peña : (06 October 2015 - 02:35 PM) Alright guys, if anyone is interested in joining the Red94 fantasy basketball league we could use one more player to get us to 10 teams (or three to get us to 12 teams). Just check the thread in the Fantasy Basketball forum. Thanks!
@  thejohnnygold : (05 October 2015 - 06:23 PM) I use leaguepass here in Austin with no problems...
@  skip 2 my lou : (05 October 2015 - 03:14 PM) Hey fellas, I'm a rocket fan but I live in the heart of Dallas. Does anybody know if I buy NBA Leaguepass if it's too close to be subject to blackouts?
@  Losthief : (02 October 2015 - 02:24 AM) tks jg
@  thejohnnygold : (29 September 2015 - 05:16 AM) FYI, it was media day today. Interviews are up at NBA.com
@  slick shoes : (23 September 2015 - 06:37 PM) kind of late in the day but NBATV is broadcasting classis Rockets games all day today.
@  SadLakerFan : (16 September 2015 - 04:37 AM) Man, as a Laker fan, I'm learning how little you care about the off season when your team sucks. Anyway, a quick moment to remember Moses. Still remember watching the 81 team as a kid - losing record, NBA Finals. I would have cried w/joy if they could have beaten the Celtics.
@  jorgeaam : (15 September 2015 - 08:30 PM) http://bleacherrepor...ist-after-crash
@  jorgeaam : (15 September 2015 - 08:30 PM) So to celebrate his new contract, Montrezl Harrell saved someone's life on monday
@  thejohnnygold : (14 September 2015 - 04:36 PM) A good article from Blinebury talking about when Hakeem and Moses used to play in the park. LINK

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Houston Rockets 108, Miamia Heat 91: There's a very 1995 feel right now


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#1 Red94

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    Posted 05 November 2014 - 01:35 PM

    New post: Houston Rockets 108, Miamia Heat 91: There's a very 1995 feel right now
    By: Rahat Huq

    • Blasphemy, I know.  It's only been five games, and neither Dwight Howard or James Harden are on the same stratosphere as Hakeem Olajuwon.  But as I had been noting back to preseason, there's a very different feel to this team right now, distinct from what we had become accustomed to in the past few years.  Through the duration of the Yao Ming era, overlapped primarily by Jeff Van Gundy's tenure as head coach, the team was characterized by hard-nosed defense, regularly ranking amongst the best in the league in various defensive categories.  Even after Van Gundy was succeeded by the offensive-minded Rick Adelman, this ethos remained intact (though it has been posited that much of this could be attributed to the players held over into the succeeding reign, evidenced by the drastic dropoff upon the departure of certain incumbent players).  In recent years, the focus shifted back to offense, with the team's best player one of the league's most dangerous in that area.  This year, they've reclaimed the defense, while retaining the superstar power they didn't have during the Kyle Lowry/Shane Battier/Chuck Hayes days of the franchise's history.  Simply put, it's a 1995esque blend of individual greatness mixed in with workmanlike grit at the other end.  And this team looks the same as those ones did too, featuring less pick and rolls than they did the previous season, opting to spread the floor with Harden ISO's and Howard postups, and dotting the perimeter with dangerous shooting.  On defense, they are suffocating opponents at critical points.

    • Miami was Houston's first true test of the season and the Rockets rose to the challenge, their two stars posting All-NBA numbers, and their defense strangling the life out of the Heat upon every mini run.  This team would be 3-2 last season, but this year, they're responding to every threat, ramping up their intensity rather than merely trying to outscore the opponent.  The defense has been infectious with a springier Dwight Howard anchoring the middle, and the ever-active Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza clamping down on the perimeter.  James Harden has caught the cold too, exhibiting determination we hadn't known was possible, closing out ferociously on shooters and staying active in the passing lanes.  It's been a complete 180 for Harden, and the Heat announcers took ample time to praise his efforts, primarily in transitional sprints.
    • Right now, Harden is the MVP, and if things hold form, he could win the whole thing, though the season is very, very young.  He's coupled the same devastating offense with the aforementioned defensive focus, and now his team sits at the very top of the NBA standings. If he finished 5th a year ago amidst all the negative press (Harden is probably the most unliked star in the league), he should be Top 3 bare minimum if Houston finishes where they seem they will in the standings.  The other hopefuls appear to be the prodigal son in Cleveland, and the pair of All-NBAers in L.A., though the latter two teammates may steal votes from one another.  I do not think the Pelicans will win enough games to merit Anthony Davis serious consideration.  But if the Rockets take home the 2nd seed, Harden averages at least 26 a game and manages to force a corrective regarding his narrative, he could find himself at the podium by season's end.  Voter fatigue is real and I don't think Lebron is the favorite.
    • At the least, could those of you who plan to be in the stands on Thursday night shower the man with some love upon his trips to the line?  I do not recall an MVP chant in Houston since Tracy McGrady's last functional season, and they always manage to give me slight chills when actually merited.  Having a truly elite player is a very, very rare thing.
    • On Harden's defense: in any domain, there is always a considerable lag between conventional wisdom and reality/truth, whereby the former must catch up.  Most of the world still doesn't know yet, that the Beard is a new man, so the jokes will continue.  He just needs to continue the focus and continue winning.
    • What more can be said about Trevor Ariza who is doing everything anyone could have dreamed up for a small forward for this team.  When he poked the ball away from Dwyane Wade in the closing minute, bringing it down to casually splash another triple, the play embodied everything he's meant to this club, and everything upon which so many philosophical discussions had been centered the past two years: 3 & D.  "I'm not entirely sure Chandler Parsons and James Harden can coexist on a team with title aspirations," I had mused after the Portland loss, and now I'm understanding why.  This team needed defense.
    • Donatas Motiejunas, filling in for the injured Terrence Jones, played much better than the box score indicates, rotating smartly and overall playing physical defense.  To say that Motiejunas has struggled would be an understatement, but it would not be fair to say he was disastrous last night, despite the foul troubles.  Still, he's going to have to turn it around, and soon, or I'm afraid he could lose his roster spot.
    • The team seems to be featuring far more Dwight Howard post-ups this season, leading one to wonder if last summer's performance had some impact on this year's strategy.  Howard killed the Blazers, but the Inside the NBA crew noted that "everyone else is just standing around because this isn't how they played during the year."  This time, they're incorporating it from Day 1, and that anchor is allowing everyone else to rest.  A good inside presence is like a good run game, where you can gain short yardage without going all out.
    • Patrick Beverley returned from injury, nailing four triples, adding rebirth to my previous belief that he is the ideal fit at point guard next to James Harden.  If he hits his threes, with his defense, he's perfect; when he doesn't, it is a tough pill to swallow, because he can't create.
    • Fearless prediction: by season's end, Kostas Papanikolaou will be featured in the Delfino role, closing out games at the power forward spot.

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    #2 YaoMan

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      Posted 05 November 2014 - 03:06 PM

      I cannot be more impressed from what I have seen. 5 games in the books. 5-0 record. 5 wins by double digits where the Rockets score over 100 and the opponent scores less than 94 in all 5 contests. Ariza was a superb signing and an awesome fit and Papanikolaou is far better than I thought and I liked him from the beginning. Canaan is filling in nicely with the jet and the front court depth (which I still think is a major issue) isn't hurting them so far. Most of all the defensive effort from everyone including Harden has to be commended and we're seeing the blueprints of what makes Rockets contenders. Like Rahat said, majority of "experts" and analyst projected a huge step back with subtractions of Lin, Asik and Parsons but perhaps what they didn't see was addition by subtraction. Putting the right pieces of talent together is always the key (see San Antonio) and Morey knows better than we do. And perhaps by seasons end, McHale will prove me wrong in every way showing me that he can coach because I was calling for his head after the 1st round exit last season. Exciting times! Now the Rockets have 2 big tests in front of them. We shall see what heart and passion they put forth against the Spurs and Warriors...


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      #3 John P

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        Posted 05 November 2014 - 03:17 PM

        A couple of thoughts....

         

        1) ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!!!!   What a great fit, great...freaking amazing shooting, and bringing the D.

        2)  We are terribly, terribly thin after the starting 5....and at this pace Harden is going to burn out way too quickly

        3) We desperately need either one third star who can run the office while Harden sits (a Manu type...though likely not that good) or two huge jumps in bench performance.  ...BUT, we can't do it by trading the starting 5.  Can we trade for an expiring quality guy like Millsap?

         

        I really see things only getting better for this team but also I see wear and tear to be a huge issue.  Our bench, while maybe having some suprises, like Papa, still needs drastic improvement or else we will be like OKC or Portland, great starting 5 but when stars sit is all falls apart.

         

        Who knew we would all be so happy Ariza is back in the fold.


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        #4 YaoMan

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          Posted 05 November 2014 - 03:29 PM

          A couple of thoughts....

           

          1) ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!!!!   What a great fit, great...freaking amazing shooting, and bringing the D.

          2)  We are terribly, terribly thin after the starting 5....and at this pace Harden is going to burn out way too quickly

          3) We desperately need either one third star who can run the office while Harden sits (a Manu type...though likely not that good) or two huge jumps in bench performance.  ...BUT, we can't do it by trading the starting 5.  Can we trade for an expiring quality guy like Millsap?

           

          I really see things only getting better for this team but also I see wear and tear to be a huge issue.  Our bench, while maybe having some suprises, like Papa, still needs drastic improvement or else we will be like OKC or Portland, great starting 5 but when stars sit is all falls apart.

           

          Who knew we would all be so happy Ariza is back in the fold.

          I never thought Ariza would fit this well this fast and bring that tireless toughness to the whole team. Agreed, the bench needs some improvement to give more relief to the starters but so far I like what I see!


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          #5 txtdo1411

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          Posted 05 November 2014 - 04:27 PM

          A couple of thoughts....

           

          1) ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!! ARIZA!!!!!!!   What a great fit, great...freaking amazing shooting, and bringing the D.

          2)  We are terribly, terribly thin after the starting 5....and at this pace Harden is going to burn out way too quickly

          3) We desperately need either one third star who can run the office while Harden sits (a Manu type...though likely not that good) or two huge jumps in bench performance.  ...BUT, we can't do it by trading the starting 5.  Can we trade for an expiring quality guy like Millsap?

           

          I really see things only getting better for this team but also I see wear and tear to be a huge issue.  Our bench, while maybe having some suprises, like Papa, still needs drastic improvement or else we will be like OKC or Portland, great starting 5 but when stars sit is all falls apart.

           

          Who knew we would all be so happy Ariza is back in the fold.

           

          Our depth is an issue, but last night wasn't a great indicator. We were without Jones and Black who are our starting 4, and back up 5. Both of those guys had minor injuries, so we should be alright once they come back. I'm actually okay with our rotation right now when we are healthy. It's funny because I did not expect this at all, but I think Papa is the closest thing we have to a bench distributor right now. He has excellent awareness, and seems to have really good chemistry passing to our bigs (Dwight in particular). McHale has done a really good job, in my opinion, with his rotations. He is making sure to have Dwight in when we do not have Harden out there so we can run the offense through Dwight. The inside out game isn't as dangerous as Harden doing his thing, but it suffices well enough to let Harden get his 12 minutes of rest. 


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          #6 NorEastern

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            Posted 05 November 2014 - 06:00 PM

            I must admit I am absolutely shocked at how well the Rockets are playing. I had limited expectations this season. But several factors caught me by surprise, all of them well covered by Mr. Huq's excellent analysis.

             

            I have always had faith in McHale as a coach. He is neither the offensive genius that Adelman was, nor a defensive guru like JVG. But such one minded coaches do have a dearth of rings. In retrospect Parsons, after a promising start, was a sore disappointment on the defensive end. The change in defensive intensity upon the arrival of Ariza has been astonishing. I guess no coach can be faulted for mediocre defense when the starting 2, 3 and 4 were defensive negatives. Harden's commitment on the other side of the ball has been commendable. We will see if it lasts the season. If it does the finals may be within reach.

             

            It is much to early in the season to attempt advanced analysis of performance. At this point we only have to reference margin of victory to get an idea of how good the Rockets may be.

             

            We will see if the new found optimism in the Rockets is justified during the losing streaks this season. Will they come apart, or will they increase their intensity? And there will be losing streaks this season.


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            #7 thejohnnygold

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            Posted 05 November 2014 - 06:52 PM

            I have to disagree with the overwhelming concern about our depth.  What do you guys want?  Do you think we are gong to sport the NBA all-2nd team on our bench???  Look around the league.  Where are these all-star reserve units?  Oh, San Antonio?  Please, that is as much systemic as it is talent.  Every time SA trades a guy he magically regresses--weird, eh?

             

            The Clippers have some solid vets on their bench, but they aren't without fault--they are defensively limited there and largely rely on the streaky Jamal Crawford/Farmar combo.

             

            Chicago has some able-bodied reserves...for now.  Gibson won't stay on the bench forever.

             

            OKC, when healthy, has some depth, but nothing that strikes fear into me.

             

            Milwaukee has pretty good depth at a couple of positions...what are they doing with it?

             

            The point is that carrying a deep bench is just hard to do.  The cream rises to the top. That statement holds as true in basketball as anywhere.

             

            Meanwhile, our bench has been pretty darn good.  Line-up statistics show great production, but that is based off of 5 wins so it should.

             

            Canaan has been good.  Terry has been good.  Papa has been good.  D-Mo has been ok.  Black has been ok.  After that, we still have Daniels, Dorsey, and Garcia.  I agree that big man depth is a concern, but the odds are that Morey addresses this by the trade deadline or he throws Capela into the fire.

             

            Outside of Terry, most NBA fans would not recognize our main reserves.  Yet, they are playing pretty well.  Let's not succumb to the idea of name recognition being better than actual performance.  The difference between us, and most other teams with "depth" is ours is built for duration and growth.  Look at our books.  We can ride nearly all of this bench unit, and it's likely improvement, for the next 2-3 years.  The other option is to keep signing a bunch of vets to 1-2 year deals and hoping they mesh and have something left in the tank.

             

            Our bench isn't perfect, but viewed in a grander context I really, really like it.  It affords us tons of flexibility, potential, and continuity plus it fits our system.  Or we could have Big Baby Davis, Hedo Turkoglu, Jamal Crawford, and Jordan Farmar.   :unsure:  I'll take the former, thank you.

             

            Don't forget, our first championship came with solid contributions from Cassell (rookie), Horry (2nd year), Carl Herrera (2nd year), Elie (3rd year and first with us), and Bullard (3rd year) plus 5 year vet Scott Brooks (his 2nd year in Hou).  I seriously doubt anyone thought our bench was "special" back then.  It was only after they played through the season that we realized what we had.


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            #8 Johnny Rocket

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              Posted 05 November 2014 - 08:15 PM

              One of things that made a big difference for the Rockets is slowing down the pace.  According to Basketball Reference, we are 22nd in pace.   That means we are staying home for defensive rebounds and focusing more energy on the defensive end.  This might be one of the impacts of having Ariza instead of Parsons.  Parsons generated a lot of his offense in the open-court, while Ariza is comfortable sharp-shooting from the half court offense. The fact that we are slowing down also means we are better able to incorporate Howard into the offense.


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              #9 Alituro

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                Posted 05 November 2014 - 08:24 PM

                thejohnnygold... Always the voice of reason, I'm with you Bub, I don't know what people expect from a bench. Ours is glut with unrealized potential and anchored by a couple of wily vets.


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                #10 YaoMan

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                  Posted 05 November 2014 - 08:58 PM

                  I have to disagree with the overwhelming concern about our depth.  What do you guys want?  Do you think we are gong to sport the NBA all-2nd team on our bench???  Look around the league.  Where are these all-star reserve units?  Oh, San Antonio?  Please, that is as much systemic as it is talent.  Every time SA trades a guy he magically regresses--weird, eh?

                   

                  The Clippers have some solid vets on their bench, but they aren't without fault--they are defensively limited there and largely rely on the streaky Jamal Crawford/Farmar combo.

                   

                  Chicago has some able-bodied reserves...for now.  Gibson won't stay on the bench forever.

                   

                  OKC, when healthy, has some depth, but nothing that strikes fear into me.

                   

                  Milwaukee has pretty good depth at a couple of positions...what are they doing with it?

                   

                  The point is that carrying a deep bench is just hard to do.  The cream rises to the top. That statement holds as true in basketball as anywhere.

                   

                  Meanwhile, our bench has been pretty darn good.  Line-up statistics show great production, but that is based off of 5 wins so it should.

                   

                  Canaan has been good.  Terry has been good.  Papa has been good.  D-Mo has been ok.  Black has been ok.  After that, we still have Daniels, Dorsey, and Garcia.  I agree that big man depth is a concern, but the odds are that Morey addresses this by the trade deadline or he throws Capela into the fire.

                   

                  Outside of Terry, most NBA fans would not recognize our main reserves.  Yet, they are playing pretty well.  Let's not succumb to the idea of name recognition being better than actual performance.  The difference between us, and most other teams with "depth" is ours is built for duration and growth.  Look at our books.  We can ride nearly all of this bench unit, and it's likely improvement, for the next 2-3 years.  The other option is to keep signing a bunch of vets to 1-2 year deals and hoping they mesh and have something left in the tank.

                   

                  Our bench isn't perfect, but viewed in a grander context I really, really like it.  It affords us tons of flexibility, potential, and continuity plus it fits our system.  Or we could have Big Baby Davis, Hedo Turkoglu, Jamal Crawford, and Jordan Farmar.   :unsure:  I'll take the former, thank you.

                   

                  Don't forget, our first championship came with solid contributions from Cassell (rookie), Horry (2nd year), Carl Herrera (2nd year), Elie (3rd year and first with us), and Bullard (3rd year) plus 5 year vet Scott Brooks (his 2nd year in Hou).  I seriously doubt anyone thought our bench was "special" back then.  It was only after they played through the season that we realized what we had.

                  I think my perception in the depth is not so much having a "bench mob" with big names or such. I think I was looking for one singular weak link in such an impressive start of the season. For me, I do like the chance to develop what we have and I probably should have worded it better. I think I should have said "major question" (regarding depth) rather than issue and it's very possible that the Rockets have the answer. Papa at 4 against smaller lineups and having D-mo/Black/Dorsey against bigger, more physical 4s. Like you alluded in one of your posts, the back up 4/5 doesn't necessarily need to score a bunch but to play solid D, box out, get some boards and clog the lane. Perhaps, I could have also been thinking of this from watching last night's game vs Miami when they were out 2 of their bigs (Black,Jones). Anyhow, don't read to much of me saying this as this was more of "too good to be true" moment for me watching how dominant they have been in the early goings....


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                  #11 thejohnnygold

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                  Posted 05 November 2014 - 09:29 PM

                  I think my perception in the depth is not so much having a "bench mob" with big names or such. I think I was looking for one singular weak link in such an impressive start of the season. For me, I do like the chance to develop what we have and I probably should have worded it better. I think I should have said "major question" (regarding depth) rather than issue and it's very possible that the Rockets have the answer. Papa at 4 against smaller lineups and having D-mo/Black/Dorsey against bigger, more physical 4s. Like you alluded in one of your posts, the back up 4/5 doesn't necessarily need to score a bunch but to play solid D, box out, get some boards and clog the lane. Perhaps, I could have also been thinking of this from watching last night's game vs Miami when they were out 2 of their bigs (Black,Jones). Anyhow, don't read to much of me saying this as this was more of "too good to be true" moment for me watching how dominant they have been in the early goings....

                   

                  No worries--it's not just you.  I think quite a few people are reluctant to get excited and are looking for anything to keep their expectations grounded.  I have no qualms about getting excited--it's what fandom is all about for me.  It doesn't mean I have to put on blinders nor does it require being unrealistic.

                   

                  We will come back to Earth.  We won't continue shooting this well.  There will be off nights, bad match-ups, and some good 'ol fashioned beatings.  These things happen.  For me, I see lots of positive things and I am seeing them early in the season.  I feel safe presuming improvement in certain areas--Papa's outside shot, Jones' defense, overall team synergy, Howard's post game, Canaan maturing, and Black getting comfortable as the primary back up to Dwight just to name a few.

                   

                  The fact is, this team is good.  Our starting 5 is good.  Our bench is good enough.  Even with all that we may not reach our goals--it's just the reality of today's NBA (something I seem to keep harping on, but it seems like a lot of people won't acknowledge it).  Look at Miami.  Bosh, Wade, Deng, McRoberts, Granger and co. are an afterthought for most "experts" when talking about EC champions.  This league is tough.

                   

                  Washington is in a similar spot.  Wall, Beal, Gortat, Nene, Pierce, Webster, Miller, and some other solid vets are just fodder for one of Chicago/Cleveland.  It is ridiculous what it takes in this league.  All a team can do is try to create the right mix of talent and hope it is hitting on all cylinders when the playoffs roll around.

                   

                  I won't belabor the point (at least for now).  I just feel like it's okay to take a step back, remember that we are a long ways off from the playoffs, and enjoy the season--it's going to be a good one.

                   

                  I think one of the more exciting plot lines of the season is watching OKC frantically try to get back in the playoff race with teams like Phoenix, New Orleans, and Denver trying to fight them off.  That is going to be fun.  I think it would be way too amazing for us to face them in the first round (maybe a 2 vs. 7 matchup?) and to take them out.  That would be so very, very satisfying.


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                  #12 timetodienow1234567

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                  Posted 05 November 2014 - 10:06 PM

                  If OKC makes the playoffs, they're winning the whole thing. It would mean them going like 40-10 in the last 50 games, maybe better. I just don't see how they could lose after being on that big of a year. I think they miss the playoffs though.
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                  Why so Serious? :D


                  #13 txtdo1411

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                  Posted 05 November 2014 - 11:42 PM

                  JG I agree that our bench is good enough, which is why I said I am actually okay with our line up right now when we are healthy. I also like how McHale has been handling the rotations so far (Not too bad for McFail right?!). It depends a lot on Black solidifying the back up Center position, but I think he can provide enough defense and rebounding to spell Dwight. I like this team a lot, and I am against trading away Jones, Pellies pick, and Kostas for Rondo because we lose two important pieces for one that may or may not fit. I'd love to have Rondo in Houston, but not at the expense of Papa and Jones. 


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                  #14 cointurtlemoose

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                    Posted 05 November 2014 - 11:44 PM

                    Like all of you, I'm very pleased with what I've seen thus far. We look like more of a balanced team this year. Harden and Howard ISOs are looking more purposeful, rather than just "aah screw it, the shot clocks running out". Just generally, I feel like our team looks more like a cohesive unit so far; last year, we were a bit more schizophrenic, as it were.

                     

                    Like has been said, it seems so far that the only depth issue is our bigs. I like how Black plays his heart out, but he really struggles at finishing, which hurts. Granted, it's only five games in. Black is a rookie, and he's got time to learn. D-Mo could very likely return to previous form. But almost every active big man in the league misses more or less games, and when Howard sits, we're gonna need those guys to be ready.

                     

                    Also, given the right situations, I'd like to see us push Canaan into more of a creator PG role. I think he's got the skill. And that could really give our 2nd unit an added spark. What do yall think?


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                    #15 NorEastern

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                      Posted 06 November 2014 - 02:27 AM

                      txtdo1411

                      I cannot tell you how much I am against trading anything for Rondo. Why would anyone be against acquiring an all-star you might ask? Because acquiring any player that will take the ball out of the hands of Harden and Howard would be a serious error and would certainly make the Rockets a less competitive team. Short of Chris Paul of course. Rondo has never been able to shoot and requires very special teammates to succeed. KG and Pierce were perfect. Love and LBJ would be ideal. But with Rondo, Harden certainly would not be chalking up 12.2 teammate ppg off of his assists.Would you like to substitute last years Harden bouncing the ball on the hardwood for Rondo doing it this year? The Rockets currently have two players, that when they have the ball warp defensive positioning to the breaking point because there will be the need of a double team. Everyone else is just spot up shooting and cutting to the basket. If the ball is not in Howard's or Harden's hands it had better be on its way to the hoop or another player. This system allows the stars to be stars and the role players to be roll players. Perfect. Rondo is neither a star nor a role player.


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                      #16 Red94

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                        Posted 06 November 2014 - 02:34 AM

                        New post: On the Rockets' pace
                        By: Rahat Huq

                        A reader writes:

                        Quote:

                        One of things that made a big difference for the Rockets is slowing down the pace.  According to Basketball Reference, we are 22nd in pace.   That means we are staying home for defensive rebounds and focusing more energy on the defensive end.  This might be one of the impacts of having Ariza instead of Parsons.  Parsons generated a lot of his offense in the open-court, while Ariza is comfortable sharp-shooting from the half court offense. The fact that we are slowing down also means we are better able to incorporate Howard into the offense.

                        This was something I hadn't considered.  The Rockets, of course, are still running, but this time around, it's more purposeful running.  Last year, and the season before, running was seemingly Houston's raison d'etre.  It was almost as if they'd inbound the ball and say, "you scored?  Okay, well, so what?  We'll just rush it up and get those two points back."  Now, they are running when there are steals or outlet opportunities, not just simply off of made baskets.

                        It's been absolutely fascinating to see how much of a transformation one lineup substitution has made upon the entire dynamics of this team.


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                        #17 Steven

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                          Posted 06 November 2014 - 02:54 AM

                          My 60 win prediction may have been too conservative.
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                          #18 Lucas Daniel Uribe

                          Lucas Daniel Uribe

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                          Posted 06 November 2014 - 03:49 AM

                          <br /><br /><p>I must admit that they are running a lot and with purpose. Won't teams look at the film and stop the corner three because they making those buckets. Defense looks good but can be better. Harden is active on defense with some hand eye coordination. Houston needs to do this ALL YEAR, even when we come out sluggish. Go Rockets 6-0 Baby!</p>
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                          #19 RudyT1995

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                            Posted 07 November 2014 - 04:41 AM

                            1995?  I hope we peak at the right time like the 95 squad.  


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