Some Pondering

by misterterrific on Dec 18, 2008 6:22 AM CST

First fanpost, if it sucks don't hate me. Thanks.

Anyway, I caught The Basketball Jones Podcast (J.E. Skeets and Tas Melas). There was an email sent to them by one of the viewers. It states:

"..Every year it seems that Houston is the trendy sleeper pick to make it out of the Western Conference. Why do people keep drinking the Kool-Aid? If Yao and McGrady were both simultaneously healthy, sure they would be dangerous. But they never are. How many times does the same thing have to happen before everyone notices the pattern?"

Well first of all, to me anyway, the Rockets came into the season and were expected to be legit contenders rather than just sleepers. Claiming that they could actually win it all was more believable now than the previous seasons. Expectations were high coming in, but could you really blame anyone for expecting that?

The Rockets have shown what they're capable of(whether consistently or not, they've been able to showcase), both good and bad. They've been able to dominate teams, play stifling defense, play efficiently on both ends. You pick they've done it. They can be pretty underwhelming, too. They've also put on dismal and pitiful performances by showing lack of effort, offensive ineptitude, laziness. Again you pick, they've done it.

I can't say much about this team, I don't get to watch them that often and I can only judge them mostly on what i've been reading. The only games i've been able to watch were: The October Dallas Game, The loss at Denver, the win over the Hawks, and the loss to the Clippers.

For me, it's still too early to say anything, but let me ask. Are we just blindly optimistic or is this team, really, the "real deal"?

No cursing in title. No pirated material, such as links to online game streams. Do not cut/paste entire sections of content from other websites. Thanks.

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Comments

You can't put a label on us

We’re as unpredictable as any team in the league. Sleeper or contender, it doesn’t make a difference as long as we’re there at the end, and it’s tough to put any of those on us. But what I can say is that any time a team has 3 legit stars and a solid bench, such as the Rockets, they should be the “real deal.” I think we are the real deal, but that’s when healthy, and that’s the question. It’s tough to be pessimistic when you have a team like ours – we’re just so damn stacked.

It’s also too early to start labeling, unless you want to label the Celtics and Lakers as the two best teams in their respective conferences. Once the playoffs come around, then you label. And once the playoffs come around, we’ll know who is healthy and who isn’t, and once we see our product in the playoffs, then you can decide what we are.

by Tom Martin on Dec 18, 2008 10:33 AM CST reply actions

I have no idea

this is the same team that’s capable of beating Phoenix, Dallas, New Orleans, San Antonio and Denver.

it’s also the same team that has lost to Indiana, the Clippers and Memphis.

Over a 7 game series, I say we are still a team to fear, but I have NO idea right now.

by grungedave on Dec 18, 2008 4:05 PM CST reply actions

Keep writing Fanposts

That was exactly what a fanpost should be. Make a point, have a reference for it. Thank you, nice work.

I tend to think that this year is different, while we were a sleeper the last few years and injuries killed that thought, this year we are a sleeper BECAUSE of our last few years. We weren’t expected to win the cahmpionship the two years prior to this one. This year we actually are. But because of the last few, they are dropping us to sleeper instead of raising us to sleeper like before. Make sense?

by UofTOrange on Dec 19, 2008 9:47 AM CST reply actions

yeah, it does.

I guess it’s my bias and expectations that just add to the confusion i get from this team. With a roster like this, even with its weaknesses, I’d have thought they’d come out the gates and destroyed everyone in their way (i’d expect losses, of course).

We’re on a nice little 2 game win streak right now, hope this points us in the right direction.

by misterterrific on Dec 19, 2008 10:29 PM CST up reply actions