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In the regular season, the Jazz because of Okur and his last second shots. In the playoffs, the Mavericks because of the refs and Mark Cuban.
all good points, but so few agree that they will be one of our toughest western compe ors this season. which is what the thread was asking. We play teams in our division 4 times and I am almost certain we will come away with more losses to the rockets this year than the mavs (regular season, of course)
In the regular season, the Jazz because of Okur and his last second shots. In the playoffs, the Mavericks because of the refs and Mark Cuban.
The Jazz are the 2005 Sonics all over again. They dont even have a backup pg and have done NOTHING to improve their team. They wont be better. They dropped down a few spots due to standing pat.
The Mavs then the Suns are the 2 biggest threats to the Spurs. When the Rockets get out of the 1st out, then they can start to maybe be part of the convo. The Jazz dont belong anywhere on this list and they have done jack to improve. The Nuggets will be better than Utah this season.
No matter who, you will get ousted early...
Why does everybody always sleep on the Hornets? I have them as the 5 seed this season and they could seriously send some people home crying.
Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic, David West, Tyson Chandler, Morris Peterson, Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo
There are some pretty good names on that list. The team that should fear them the most is Phoenix...they match up really well against them. But San Antonio better not be caught sleeping on them either. I remember a big loss a couple years ago when CP3 was a rookie in Oklahoma City. CP is pretty polished now.
I think that the Hornets will replace the Warriors in the playoff seeding this coming year, but they are not capable of knocking off any of the top four teams in the first round.
In the regular season, it will be the Mavs and Suns racing for the best record in the NBA again (Boston could give them a run in the lesser conferance). That would mean that the Spurs will once again end up with the third seed.
In order for Houston to be a threat, they would have to get out of the first round. I see them being in the fifth/sixth slot being betten out of a home court seed by the Mavs (1), Suns (2), Spurs (3), Nuggets (4).
The Rockets would have to get by either the Spurs or Nuggets in the first round ... Its not looking good for them to break their loosing streak in the first round as they wont beat the Spurs (At least not this year, too many new players and a new Coach) and the Nuggets are the one team that may be even stronger on the inside then the Spurs (Nene, K-Mart and Camby).
So the Rockets are not the "Toughest" at least not this year ... The players have to play together and show it on the court before talking so high on them.
The Suns are good but the Spurs know how to beat them and the Suns don't know how to beat the Spurs. This is a problem. The Mavs struggled with the same problem for sometime, right now the Mavs do know how to beat the Spurs, and the Spurs do know how to beat the Mavs ... this is the biggest threat to the Spurs in this coming year ... Only one team has beaten the Spurs when it counted in the last three years ... The only time the two met in the last three years.
The Spurs and Mavs both want a rematch to prove that it was either a fluke (Spurs) or that they are that good (Mavs).
Every other team on that list has yet to do anything to the Spurs when the games matter the most ... That is the definition of a "threat" : Beating the Spurs when it counts.
Point taken.
I (mistakenly) left them off my list because Peja was injured last season and was not a factor. It remains to be seen if he will be a legitimate player, though, as IMHO he hasn't seen enough run yet in the system.
I like David West and Tyson Chandler a lot, though I do not think Mo Pete, Jackson, and Pargo will amount to much more than some known names to fill spaces.
Chris Paul goes without saying. Dude is a complete stud and will be (if not is currently) one of the best PGs in the NBA. And he is only going to get better.
I'll amend my prediction on them once I think about this more. Good take, Darkwaters.
Unless the Suns sign PJ Brown, they are going to get owned hard when/if Amare has to guard Duncan in the playoffs.
while Dallas is as dangerous as ever, I think the warriors broke them, showed the league how to beat them in a playoff series. you can beat the mavs with game planning and strategy.
The scariest team to me is the Jazz, that team went to the WCF operating at half-capacity. Deron Williams showed some glimpses of how good he can be last year, but wasn't all the way there yet, he can easily be the best PG in the NBA next year, Carlos's fade away is the most beautiful shot in basketball right now. they got a deadly shooter in Okur and a hustler in Millsap. once AK sees a therapist or something and starts playing like he used to, this team will be unstoppable.
just remember how they played in the 2nd half of those WCF games.
I am Spurs fan but again Spurs fans are underrating Rockets just because they mad at Scola trade.
Denies it all you want, it obvious to a lot of other Spurs fans reading these post here.
Remember Rockets record percentage of 60-22 when T-Mac and Yao played. Yao miss so many games, but when they both played team was winning at 60 win pace.
So they ALREADY had 60 win team in regular season barring injury not 52 win team. You making huge error in saying 52 win team when Yao missed 34 games.
Spurs win 52 games if Duncan misses 34 games? Debatable right?
Yao playing at 65 percent in playoffs according to his Chinese interviews. Hurt foot, badly hurt shoulder on shooting arm, and badly hurt ankle.
Look at his stats BEFORE foot injury and AFTER:
Before:
26.8 PPG
9.7 RPG
2.3 BPG
After (regular season):
24.0 PPG
9.4 RPG
1.6 BPG
After (playoffs):
25.1 PPG
10.3 RPG
0.7 BPG
He went from 27/10 player to 24/9 player regular season after injury and just 25/10 player in playoffs even try to step up.
Because of injury. So if he was 27/10 regular season before injury, he could have increased from 27/10 to 28/11 in playoffs instead from 24/9 to 25/10.
You think Rockets lose to Jazz if Yao playing at more than 65%?
You fans lots of you says Scola, James, Francis means "nothing".
You tell me Rafer Alston as good as Mike James who replace him? You freakin" serious???
You tell me Luther Head as good as Steve Francis who replace him? You freakin" serious???
You tell me old man version of Juwan Howard as good as Luis Scola who replace him? You freakin' serious???
They already was 60 win team if Yao just stay healthy and his hurts not from wear down they from freak accident, any player could get stepped on.
They already 60 win team and already team that would have beat Utah if Yao was playing healthy instead of plays with 3 injuries.
They have horrible offense with Van Gundy replace him with good offense coach with Adelman.
Why all fans here acts like Adelman have bad defense as coach? He have just as good rating as coach on D as Van Gundy if you take his best years.
He have team in Portland finish #2 in defense, team in Portland finish #3 in defense, team in Portland finish #5 in defense, he have team in Sacramento finish #5 in defense, team in Sacramento finish #3 in defense, team in Sacramento finish #1 in defense
Now Rockets have not only top 5 coach on D but also top 5 coach on O. Before they have top 3 coach on D and second to worst coach on O.
You people acts like change to Adelman means "nothing"? Reallys? Are you freakin' serious???
They take 60 win team and team that would beat Utah already if Yao healthy through year and in playoffs and add new coach who still elite coach on D but also elite coach on O versus horrible O coach Van Gundy.....
They replace John Lucas III with Aaron Brooks
Juwan Howard with Luis Scola
Steve Francis take Luther Head's role
Mike James take Rafer Alston's role........
For people thinks James and Francis will means "nothing".......
Luther Head playoff stats:
30.6% FG%
26.1 % 3PT%
4.6 PPG
2.7 RPG
1.1 APG
0.4 SPG
Steve Francis who replace him with same role playoff stats:
42.9% FG%
41.2% 3 PT%
19.2 PPG
8.4 RPG
7.6 APG
1.4 SPG
Rafer Alston playoff stats:
33.8% FG%
10.9 PPG
Mike James whom replace his with same role playoff stats:
46.8% FG%
11.6 PPG
Fans here think Houston "nothing"???
Rockets is better than Spurs right now not even hard to see IMO.
Yea because everyone knows Suns are the toughest even though they traded one of the better defenders, and having Scola, Francis, and a different head coach automatically propels you in front of Dallas.Special-ed spurs fan
Phoenix,Houston,then Dallas in that order of difficulty
Take it from overseas fan, Rockets best team in Western Conference. Spurs fans by reading posts here in for sad surprise.Yea because everyone knows Suns are the toughest even though they traded one of the better defenders, and having Scola, Francis, and a different head coach automatically propels you in front of Dallas.
The Mavs will be the biggest threat to us... call them chokers all you want but they a formidable team... the Suns will probably be tough but they've never had success against us and as for the Rockets... nice team on the paper and potentially can be our toughest opponents but let's just wait for the season begin...
This is going to be fun
Now, in the playoffs he wasYao playing at 65 percent in playoffs according to his Chinese interviews. Hurt foot, badly hurt shoulder on shooting arm, and badly hurt ankle.
And that's at 65% ... So, lets do the math.25.1 PPG
10.3 RPG
0.7 BPG
We need to add 8.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG and .2 BPG to get what the Chinese interviewers think that he SHOULD have had
33.8 PPG
13.9 RPG
.9 BPG
And what does this show?
Not only that I have a calculator, but that I could say that any player was at a fraction of there ability and show what I think they Could Have Done Instead of pointing out what they Did do
Yao reached those scoring levels 12 times last year in the regular season; four times in twenty-three games before the injury and eight in twenty-seven games after the injury which would tend to indicate that he played better after the injury.
There numbers can tell you whatever you want them too
On paper the Rockets are a very good team, but then again, on paper T-Mac and Yao should be close to unbeatable .... Too bad they have to play the games ... Too bad the players have to share the ball .... Too bad the personalities have to mesh ....
Too bad they have to play the games.
And being overseas makes you an expert in the matter because.... ?
because the homerism from San Antonio and Houston Spurs fans reeks up in here.
it takes some away-from TX opinions to balance the homerism.
Can i hear at least a single Nuggets run in here?! lol
The Rockets have the talent. If they stay healthy and blend together, they will be very dangerous. Yao was posting MVP numbers when he got injured last year. T-Mac is a Spurs killer. Scola shows promise. Battier is their Bowen. Bonzi is the joker in the pack; if he gets serious, that's another Spurs killer.. they will definitely be a factor this season.
Dallas, Phoenix, Utah - all are known quan ies and manageable.. the Rockets are the team to watch out for IMO.
You know your stuff, Sir.
Dallas and Phoenix are the only threats.
Trading away Kurt Thomas was a great move by Steve Kerr. He takes away the option of playing Thomas on Duncan and means they are forced to go with Amare/Diaw and keep running. Personally, I was glad to see the suns slow down by going with Thomas, it plays right into our strengths.
Mavs are hurting, and whilst they might not actually be able to win it all, they've beaten us before, so I don't think there will be any problems with confidence agains the Spurs.
Houston, not unless McGrady & Yao can stay healthy, and even IF that happens, they need to make their mind up on a PG, overcome chemistry issues with the like of Bonzi, Sooky Scola (How long until he complains about his playing time?) and the locker room cancer that is Francis. Not to mention a coach that has watched it all fall apart time and time again, in Golden State, Portland and Sacramento... I'm afraid to say it's over before it ever began.
Denver...lol... Hilarious to even mention them in the same discussion. AI & Anthony can shoot all they like but at 40% a piece, they got nothing. 45 wins, 1st round exit.
Utah is more a risk than Houston or Denver, simply becuase they are well coached, have chemistry, structure and enough internal development to improve. That said, they have a long way to go, before they threaten the Spurs.
I agree with everything you said except with what's in bold.
Bonzi was a huge (the biggest) factor when the Kings played us two years ago in the playoffs.
I really don't know about Francis. He could be an asset if he can play within the system, which he's never done on any team he's been on (so I don't think anyone should be inclined to think that there's a great chance that will change), but IF he does they can be an awesome threat to us and every other playoff team in the west.
They have the players (Bonzi, Scola, Francis, McGrady, and Yao) but will they have the chemistry?
Adelman is great with creating a offensive chemistry. If he can do that with this team, AND learn from his past experiences, creating an at least good enough defensive system, they'll be really good.
Last edited by Ronaldo McDonald; 09-08-2007 at 10:03 AM.
I have to say that on paper we look like we can kick some a$$ but there will be an adjustment period. So i will say Mavs,Suns, then Rockets FOR NOW.
Adelmans teams that won championships were always ranked near the top of the league in defenense. Do some research before you spout off.
And I don't remember the Kings having a good defense...
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