Call Your Shot: Where do the Houston Rockets Finish This Year?

For months since the Dwight Howard signing, we've been left with the dog days of summer. In that time, the biggest discussions have been who we would trade Omer Asik for, if the team would part ways with Jeremy Lin and just how handsome is Chandler Parsons. But with tip-off of the 2013-14 regular season just under seven hours away, it's time to get down to business.

A lot of the "experts" predictions are coming in and they all sound like this about the Western Conference: You can never count out the Spurs, Doc Rivers is a miracle worker and he'll turn DeAndre Jordan into Hakeem, Steph Curry is the greatest pure shooter in the history of the game and the Thunder will slaughter everyone once Russell Westbrook returns to the lineup. But what about your Houston Rockets?

Outside of Jeff Van Gundy and Kenny Smith, most of the pundits aren't buying on them yet. They're not sure which Dwight we're going to get, if him and Harden will develop chemistry fast enough and our attempts at playing Asik and Dwight together is kind of goofy.

Remember, no one thought Miami would make it that close to winning the title their first season of the big three, so we can't say we're getting disrespected here. I admittedly have problems with teams like Golden State and the Clippers being talked about as title contenders while we, with two of the top ten players in the league, seem to be an afterthought. But it is what it is and it's tough for the media to be high on the team Dwight chose after they spent the past few months crucifying him for daring to leave "the most storied franchise in the history of  blah, blah, blah."

But what about you? What are your expectations of the 2013-14 Rockets? This is always a fun piece to bookmark and go back at the end of the season and take a look at. So give your final record prediction as well as where you think their season ends, if you have them making the playoffs. Hell, I'll even go first.

I wouldn't trust me after my #Texans prediction earlier this year, but I'll go 57-25 for the #Rockets this season & a WCF appearance.

— Mike K (@Zepp1978) October 30, 2013

Like it says, I haven't exactly been batting a high average with my guesses lately, but there it is. What you got?