I don't believe in jinxes, so I'll say it. Hate me all you want. This team has the best chance to win the title since the '96-'97 team. I'm 29. The first Rockets basketball I really remember was '93-'94, to be honest. This is the best team I can remember since '95-'96. For all the Texans fans that want to play the woe is me card and compare them to the Browns, Houston will be 2017's Cleveland, in the sense that the basketball and baseball teams have a really good shot to win the titles in their respective sports. The big difference to Cleveland, though, is that the Texans have a strong nucleus and are fighting in the second round of the playoffs. I love this Rockets team. Before the season, I never thought that was possible. Where are those in the fire Morey crowd now?
I would be comfortable with this notion of we weren't in the era of super teams with Cleveland and GSW. Beating GSW and Cleveland in back to back 7 game series? I just don't see it happening. It will be immensely special if it were to happen.
People said the same thing when the 95 Rockets had to face the Suns,Spurs and Magic. Yet, it still happened, didn't it? GS isn't unbeatable this year, neither is Cleveland or anyone else. You just have to Believe!!!
It's hard to stay in top condition all the time. Injuries can also alter the outcome. I'm not saying things would all go in Rockets' way, but there is a chance unless Harden has horrible series.
Are they really? We've already beaten the Warriors this year, should be 2-1 against the Spurs if not for a total collapse in the last game(team still getting adjusted), and we hung with the Cavs in Cleveland for most of the game until the final minutes. This is with a brand new team, new players, new coaches, new system, Harden accepting a new role, etc. The Rockets will keep getting better with each and every game. GWS lost a lot of depth and toughness, which could very well come back to haunt them. They essentially got rid of Bogut, Ezeli, Barnes, Barbossa, Speights just to add Durant. Yet, there is only one basketball so they all still have to share it together. We've seen the weakness in them so far because to me it seems like they have too many chiefs and not enough indians, if you know what dude means. I think they're a paper tiger, they intimidate you with their superstars yet the team is really built on a house of cards. The Rockets aren't buying it, neither is Memphis, or San Antonio or any other top team since Golden State hasn't beaten a single one of them yet. Just tomato cans. In the words of the great Aaron Rodgers, RELAX!!
nothing wrong with saying this is the best team to contend for a title since the championship years. no one can really debate against it.
i do make posts about jinxes but im just joking. i dont believe int hat bullsht. i believe in logic, like why the **** is an athletic wing who can do anything better brewer can do other than running a fast break rottin gon the bench for a 2nd year? esp when his contract is screaming "take advantage of me in this new cba era"? he did ok in his short stint to start the season then buried in the bench. oh yeah, and warriors and cavs are scared of the rockets. spurs havent made the finals for some time now so they probably suck like the mavs.
If healthy, they're good enough to win the title. But I'd still favor the Warriors, Spurs, and Cavs. The problem the Rockets have is they've only got one superstar in Harden(and perhaps a borderline All-Star in Gordon). The Warriors have 2 superstars in Durant and Curry and 2 All-Stars in Thompson and Green. The Spurs have a superstar in Kawhi and All-Star in Aldridge(Parker used to be one, but he's fat and past his prime). And the Cavs have a superstar(do I have to name him?) and 2 All-Stars in Kyrie and Love. Point being that if Harden isn't playing well and/or those 3's aren't falling, the Rockets will struggle to win in the playoffs. This team may be a year away. Morey may have to add one more All-Star caliber player in the offseason to put them over the top. But then again, anything's possible. The 2004 Pistons had no superstars and won the whole thing(and nearly repeated).
This is the best team we've had and yes, we can compete with anyone in a playoff series. However, the nature of the superteam era means we would potentially have to go through Spurs, Warriors and Cavs to win a title. That is an enormous task. Unlike those teams, we don't have multiple stars to pick up the slack if our #1 struggles. Unlike those teams, our entire offense is built around one players creativity which worries me against good defense in the playoffs. It sucks really. It truly pains me that hardens prime will be gone by the time the superfriends era is over and he won't ever get paired with the three star mode. Just have to hope for everything to click for a couple of months in the playoffs. Can it be done? Yes. If it happens it would be the greatest playoff run ever.
Obviously we can't build anything close to what the Warriors have, but there are some star players in free agency this year and the Rockets will be a destination.
I had this group txt discussion the other night and most of the dudes were ragging on the Rockets. Saying we were paper tigers and James Harden would disappear in the playoffs. I explained that this is a totally different team with shooters who can come back at any point in time and PG that is unstoppable in the PnR. I'm claiming WCF right now!
The Warriors are gonna have trouble keeping that thing together though. Aren't Curry, Iggy, and Livingston all free agents this summer? And can Durant opt out this year or does he have to wait til next season? Either way, they're gonna have to spend a buttload of cash to keep that core together. Their days of going 10 or 11 deep may be over.
