Houston Rockets Options

[eddog2]

With Tracy McGrady returning at what he calls the best shape of his life and Yoa continuing to emerge as wells as the addition of Steve Novak and Shane Battier I don't see how the Rockets won't be projected to be one of the top teams in the West.

Every team in the West with the exception of Dallas got weaker last year. I see Dallas, Phoenix, Clippers, and Rockets finishing 1-4. Although San Antonio always seems to be around.

Maybe I am crazy but I think McGrady has the kind of year that people once again start calling him a top 10 player. If not top 5.


Lebron
Brand
Kobe
Tmac
Wade

all MVP candidates next year while Dirk nevers recovers from flopping in the playoffs.

[ZoomSlowik]

The problem is that the Rockets don't really have a whole lot outside of those two players. Battier and Howard are okay, but they're merely role players. Alston puts up good numbers, but that's about it. They need a solid third scorer. Someone like Redick would have been perfect, he'd have been a lethal sniper with teams doubling on T-Mac and Yao. Novak can do some of that, but he's probably only a bench player. He doesn't have a real NBA position and his defense will be an issue.

McGrady and Yao are going to have to be pretty dominant to compete with San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas. I don't know how likely that is. Yao dominated in the second half, but he was inconsistent early, and got hurt late. T-Mac again had some issues with his back, and that might not get better.

I just don't think they can crack the top 3 in the west in their current state. Those two guys need a bit more help. Plus if one of them has injury issues, they're toast.

[TRU]

Weve got no chance..

Down here they are printing "Bring on the West" in the Houston Chronicle..

BRING ON THE WEST!?.. Shane Battier is the player who is striking fear into Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitski that we can now say bring on the west? Get the fish outta here

Well more than likely squeek into the playoffs with a healthy McGrady all year and then get bounced as usual

[eddog2]

Weve got no chance..

Down here they are printing "Bring on the West" in the Houston Chronicle..

BRING ON THE WEST!?.. Shane Battier is the player who is striking fear into Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitski that we can now say bring on the west? Get the fish outta here

Well more than likely squeek into the playoffs with a healthy McGrady all year and then get bounced as usual

I just don't think that is the case. Battier is a great defender who can lock down the other teams best player (unless that player happens to be a center).

I see McGrady averaging 30 points with Ming averaging 22-25.

Today they added Kirk Snyder from the Hornets which is another outstanding move. The guy is a good bench player.

Snyder
NOK 68 45 19.3 205-453 .453 46-129 .357 86-117 .735 .8 1.6 2.4 1.5 .43 .34 1.03 1.60 8.0

Novak hit 46.7% of his three's in college last year. If he can hit 40% in the NBA that will be huge for the Rockets.

Alston
McGrady
Battier
Howard
Ming

Pretty damn good starting 5.

That is a pretty good starting 5. With Novak and Snyder off the bench things are a little more promising this year then last. The key like you said is staying healthy. If they do that they should be able to beat anyone on any given night.

I also like Hayes and Luther head off the bench. Is Bobby Sura back this year (healthy)? If he is healthy that is another option off the bench.

The team is pretty deep at the guard position but could definately use another big man.

[Brdrckr]

Stick a fork in him, Tmac is done! Just like Kerry Wood!

[dasox24]

I'll have to agree with Eddog on this one, as long as TMac is really in the best shape of his life. Though, knowing him, I'm not sure that's probably the case.

The rest of this post is based on the fact that Tmac is in great shape and motivated to win:

Nonetheless, if it is true, a 100% and driven TMac is one helluva player. Add Yao to that, and there are your 2 superstars, which most championship teams have. No team should have more than that, so that's why the Rockets picked up Battier (tremendous role player who the people in Memphis hate to see leave, though they get a kid w/ rediculous upside, so overall the trade is being seen as good for both teams). He'll give you 10-13 pts./night, and play great D.

While I don't think this team will win a championship, I do think that they could be a major surprise in the West this year. They will definitely make the playoffs, at least.

[Balta1701-B]

Last year, outside of TMac and Yao, the Rockets wound up with the oldest team in the NBA, and it showed. Aside from the TMac and Yao injuries, the team was slow, players always seemed to be hurt whenever i looked, etc.

The Rockets IMO need to get younger before they get better.

[Chisoxfn]

Last year, outside of TMac and Yao, the Rockets wound up with the oldest team in the NBA, and it showed. Aside from the TMac and Yao injuries, the team was slow, players always seemed to be hurt whenever i looked, etc.

The Rockets IMO need to get younger before they get better.

They also had a lot of what I'd deem selfish playesr that play very little defense. They have two superstars on the team (well one injured superstar and one budding superstar...especially with the way he played as the season went on) but they still need some quality role players around him.

[dasox24]

but they still need some quality role players around him.

Which I think they have in Battier and Head, for sure. We'll see about the rest of the players, though.

[Chisoxfn]

Which I think they have in Battier and Head, for sure. We'll see about the rest of the players, though.

Ya...Gay would have been a tremendous talent, but a guy like Battier gives them some leadership and a quality role player who isn't too concerned with taking shots and is willing to do the little things. Head is a solid young player as well.

That said its hard to give up a guy as talented as Gay.

[dasox24]

That said its hard to give up a guy as talented as Gay.

Yep, and that's why the majority of people in Memphis liked the trade even if it meant trading away "Mr. Memphis" as Shane was referred to here. It's always tough to see the most well-liked player on a team go, but Gay's upside is tremendous. With hard work and dedication, he could turn into that 2nd star Memphis needs to go along with Gasol.

[madisonsmadhouse]

I'll have to agree with Eddog on this one, as long as TMac is really in the best shape of his life. Though, knowing him, I'm not sure that's probably the case.

The rest of this post is based on the fact that Tmac is in great shape and motivated to win:

Nonetheless, if it is true, a 100% and driven TMac is one helluva player. Add Yao to that, and there are your 2 superstars, which most championship teams have. No team should have more than that, so that's why the Rockets picked up Battier (tremendous role player who the people in Memphis hate to see leave, though they get a kid w/ rediculous upside, so overall the trade is being seen as good for both teams). He'll give you 10-13 pts./night, and play great D.

While I don't think this team will win a championship, I do think that they could be a major surprise in the West this year. They will definitely make the playoffs, at least.

TMac might very well be in the best shape of his life, but if he didn't do work to specifically strengthen his back, it doesn't matter.

[dasox24]

TMac might very well be in the best shape of his life, but if he didn't do work to specifically strengthen his back, it doesn't matter.

Well, I just assumed strengthening his back would go along with being in shape.

[Chisoxfn]

Well, I just assumed strengthening his back would go along with being in shape.

Ya, I was thinking the same thing. Of course there is no guarantee he stays healthy but if he does the right workouts and strenght training/flexibility training he should be able to put himself in a position to get past the back issues.

[dasox24]

Ya, I was thinking the same thing. Of course there is no guarantee he stays healthy but if he does the right workouts and strenght training/flexibility training he should be able to put himself in a position to get past the back issues.

Trust me, back problems are a pain. But, like you said, if you do the right strengthening, etc. you should be fine. I'm a big time core workout guy, and while almost all of my teammates made fun of me for it, I think it's what got me through the season without hurting my back again, and allowing me to help our team to a good season.

I mean, without me, we wouldn't have had our best player...

But seriously, by the end of the year, I was playing as good as anybody on the team, and I was by far the best defensive midfielder we had. If I hadn't started out the year really slow (didn't score first goal until like halfway thru season), I probably would have been All-State. It was basically my job to shut down the opposing team's best offensive midfielder, and I did. Only one guy scored on me the entire year, and it was a dude from a team from NY, so the game didn't even matter. Plus, we won the game by like 12 goals, so it didn't effect the outcome at all.

EDIT: Is the auto word-changer thing new? I wrote a word that it automatically changed to "beach", so I just wrote "pain" instead. I think it's good, though. There shouldn't be any need to have an excessive use of foul language on here. I mean, I don't care, but I guarantee we have kids who are like 11 and 12 years old reading this, and it's not the best example. They shouldn't start cussing for at least a couple more years, lol.