Christmas in October: It's Opening Day!!

by grungedave on Oct 29, 2008 10:35 AM CDT in Discussions about Badasses

The last time the Rockets played a game that counted (Game 6), I finished the night downing multiple jager shots and doing other things I most definitely regret. A lot. Damn those Utah Jazz! They have driven me to drink........ more.

Tonight we begin anew.

The Rockets face what might be the worst team in the NBA, the Memphis Grizzlies.

Since Lee has already given a preview, here are 10 things to look for this season with the Houston Rockets and around the NBA:

1. Ron Artest will prove to be the single-most important acquisition by any NBA team this past offseason. Artest won't average 20 points a game, but it's not inconceivable to see him average 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists - plus his trademark lock-down pit-bullish defense. Every night.

2. Houston will win at least 59 games and go undefeated in February.

3. Yao Ming will return to be a complete and total badass. We'll forget about his offseason foot surgery by December.

4. CP3 will continue to be better than Deron Wiliams.

5. Chauncey Billups will continue to be the most overrated player in the NBA.

6. Luis Landry will average 23 points, 14 rebounds and a couple of monster dunks per game. (And any use of the lame-ass term "Carluis Scolandry" will subject most anyone to a ban on this blog.)

via www.nba.com

7. Tracy McGrady will sulk to the media sometime in January. Ron Artest will not stand for it.

8. Rafer Alston will not be a weak-link and will prove many wrong. (Okay, I only kinda sorta believe this.)

9. The Utah Jazz will suck. At least in a "life" sense.

10. The 2008/09 Houston Rockets will win their first playoff series in a decade on their way to the NBA Finals.

*** Bonus Predictions:

NBA Finals: Rockets v. Celtics
NBA Champion: Houston Rockets
MVP: LeBron (not because he is better than Kobe though)
ROY: Michael Beasley
6th Man: Lamar Odom (though he won't be happy about it)
comeback POY: Yao Ming (if he doesn't qualify, then Shaun Livingston)
Executive of the Year: Daryl Morey. Of course.

Go Rockets!

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CP3 better than D-Will?

What the hell is this? A Hornets blog?

Of course this is coming from a team whose PG stars in such highlight reels as:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFfziI9aGis

We bleed True Blue.
www.truebluejazz.com

by CB Jack on Oct 29, 2008 11:22 AM CDT reply actions

You don't believe that D-Will is better than CP3

anymore than Spurs fans really believe David Robinson was better than Hakeem

by UofTOrange on Oct 29, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions

At least with Robinson vs. Hakeem a statistical case can be made

but Chris Paul is – unquestionably – better than Deron Williams.

And I’m surprised that Jazz fans exist, when the highlight of your team’s existence are featured in such highlight reels as:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xHTiy41f9U

by Only_A_Lad on Oct 29, 2008 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions

and that's not to say that Robinson was better than Hakeem

because he wasn’t. But Robinson was probably the #2 or #3 center of all time.

by Only_A_Lad on Oct 29, 2008 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Actually the statistical case is the problem

Anyone can see with their own eyes that while Robinson was and Williams is a phenomenal player that they just aren’t as good as Hakeem or CP3 respectively. The stats can be whatever they want, the truth is in the watching of the players.

by UofTOrange on Oct 29, 2008 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions

You've got to be kidding me

about Robinson being a top 3 all time center. That means you think he is better than, and would take him over, at a minimum, all except one or two of the following centers for their careers:

Bill Russel
Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon
Tim “The Big Fundamental” Duncan
Shaquille “Kazaam” O’Neal
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain
Moses Malone
Bill Walton

I’d put him above Moses and Walton, but it isn’t by much. That makes him Top 10, at best.

I also put CP3 head and shoulders above Williams.

Meat? They're made out of Meat? Meat.

by ihavethemelody on Oct 29, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions

best center?

Robinson is right at #10 I think…

Wilt
Kareem
Hakeem
Russell
FatAss
Moses
George Mikan
McAdoo
Walton
Nate Thurmond
… Robinson and Yao fit in somewhere in this group.

by grungedave on Oct 29, 2008 2:05 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't think Yao

has quite earned mention with that group of players yet. I think he has potential, and last season really showed it, but more is required. Repeated dominance of his pears for more than a season and a half would help him enter the conversation, but it’ll take repeated playoff appearances and maybe a title or two to enter the picture you just showed.

Meat? They're made out of Meat? Meat.

by ihavethemelody on Oct 29, 2008 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Peers.

Dominance of peers is a must as well.

Meat? They're made out of Meat? Meat.

by ihavethemelody on Oct 29, 2008 10:21 PM CDT up reply actions

The Yao comment was a little tongue in cheek I think. We both know he has the skill, but the longevity is certainly at question

by UofTOrange on Oct 29, 2008 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions

I like everything on that list

Except for Odom being the 6th man of the year. I just can’t picture him winning an award. Of any kind. Especially after that hilarious pass to the bench last night.

Meat? They're made out of Meat? Meat.

by ihavethemelody on Oct 29, 2008 12:52 PM CDT reply actions