NBA Two-a-Days: Houston Rockets
NBA October 16th. 2008, 12:45pm
The question isn’t whether or not one of the best defensive teams in the NBA last year can win the title, but rather: Why can’t the Rockets win the title? Though we don’t do NBA rankings, if we did, the Rockets would start the season in our Top 5. Is that a bit high for a team with T-Mac, who has never gotten out of the first round of the NBA playoffs? Is that a bit extreme for a team that added the unpredictable, combustible Ron Artest? Is it much to optimistic for a team with chronically-injured Yao Ming, who has missed 27, 34, and 25 games in each of the past three seasons?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Fourth quarter. Tie game. The Rockets put this lineup on the floor: Battier, T-Mac, Artest, Scola, Ming. Is there a stronger defensive unit in the league?
Our only concern is that ESPN loves the Rockets this year. The last Houston team ESPN loved? The Texans.
22 Responses to “NBA Two-a-Days: Houston Rockets”
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October 16th, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Needs a link to the post you did with Artest’s “I’m still ghetto” quote.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Bill Simmons demands a royalty for the Karate Kid reference.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:48 PM
I like these easy ones, ~50 wins, first round exit.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Sure. Cavs. or Spurs. or C’s.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:59 PM
If they stay healthy they’ll be great this year. I don’t think anyone in Houston will be happy with anything less than the WCF. There’s no more excuses, we have three great players now. We’ll get past the first round this year (assuming we make the playoffs) book it
October 16th, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Artest will ALWAYS be ghetto.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:06 PM
/fixed for truth
October 16th, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Rafer Alston is Houstons weakest link. This team is one of the best defensive teams in the league. They play great perimeter defense and now have Artest to go along with Battier to lock down opponents.
With all the talk about Artest, people are forgetting about Brent Barry coming in. That guy can fly
October 16th, 2008 at 1:09 PM
@gimmeabeerman: That needs to be the name of his next rap album, “Still Ghetto.” I’d buy that. No wait, I’d download that shit.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:10 PM
I would buy it too, Lance. Even though rap makes my ears bleed.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Barry is really underrated. The Spurs will miss him big time.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:17 PM
John Barry is horrible though. I cant stand him and Wilbon on the NBA preview shows. give me Snapper and Bill Walton all day
October 16th, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Lance, if I do a fantasy basketball team this year (still waiting for the word from some of my college buddies to verify), my team name will be Still Ghetto.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Cavs? Slow offense doesn’t mean good defense.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Sorry, back to the Rockets.
Don’t like the “chemistry” of the team and health as always will be an issue. I’d put them in the 6-8 seed.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:28 PM
supposedly the cavs are really pushing the tempo so far this pre-season.
it remains to be seen really because they have shown like 1 pre-season game on tv, but supposedly mo williams is pushing everything.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:57 PM
Rockets are going to win 59 this year and be a top 2 seed in the West. Then the playoffs start and I can only hope they remain as successful in April/May as they will be in the regular season.
Rockets are the only team that can go 12 deep every night and not really have that much of a dropoff in talent level.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Oh, and with Artest and Yao, there will not be a more interesting team to follow on a day-to-day basis than the Rockets. Unless Kobe threatens to void his contract in December or something.
October 16th, 2008 at 1:59 PM
The Houston Rockets huh?
October 16th, 2008 at 2:13 PM
I think you you might owe the Rockets’ starters an apology.
October 16th, 2008 at 2:29 PM
Boston was best defense last yer by a nice margin. Houston and spurs were next best. As for Artest, as long as he limits his shot attempts the rockets are a better team.
October 16th, 2008 at 3:32 PM
NSR, a dropoff is implied. But the #s 6-10 guys on the roster (Battier, Barry, Landry, Hayes and Brooks) would probably beat most lottery-bound teams. Oh, and we can also still throw Joey Dorsey and Luther Head out there, just because…