OK, I'm bored like everyone else, so here it goes... I see 57 wins on the schedule but I am sure 4-5 of those will go the other way. Realistically 52-53 wins... 6th place in the west. Phoenix Preseason W Dallas Preseason L @ Portland Preseason L @ Orlando Preseason W San Antonio Preseason L Detroit Preseason W San Antonio Preseason L Atlanta W L.A. Clippers L Minnesota W @ Phoenix W Denver W Philadelphia W @Denver W @San Antonio L L.A. Lakers L Dallas L @ Sacramento L @ Portland W @ Seattle W @ L.A. Clippers L Sacramento W @ Memphis W San Antonio W @ New York L @ Chicago W Washington W @ Minnesota L @ Detroit W Cleveland W @ Indiana L Miami W Portland W L.A. Lakers L Milwaukee W Phoenix W @ Golden State W @ L.A. Lakers L Detroit W Indiana W New York W @ Utah L Denver W @ Philadelphia L @ Toronto W @ Boston W @ New Jersey W @ Atlanta L Dallas W New Jersey W @ Charlotte L Golden State W @ Dallas L Charlotte W Utah W @ Cleveland W Memphis W Orlando L @ Washington W @ Milwaukee L Minnesota W Boston W L.A. Clippers W @ Phoenix L @ L.A. Lakers W Toronto W @San Antonio L Golden State W Utah W Seattle W @ Minnesota W Chicago W @ L.A. Clippers L @ Sacramento W @ Seattle L @ Golden State W @ Utah W Sacramento W Phoenix W Seattle L San Antonio W @ Memphis W @ Orlando W @ Miami L @ Dallas W Portland W Memphis W @ Denver W @ Portland L
50 wins, 7th seed. For years I've said the Jazz are gonna self-destruct, but this year, it's not even remotely possible. Suns and Wolves both have to miss the playoffs for us to make it. The Glove won't not make the playoffs again. I hope we play the Lakers. I remember how much succes Milwaukee had with big scorers everywhere except for C. Mo and Rice can take mid-range jumpers all day, and Kobe can't defend all 3 (Francis, Cuttino, and Rice) of the outside players, so one is bound to explode. I'm betting on Cuttino winning two games for us during the season. Kobe's obviously gonna want to keep his eye on Francis, Cuttino has to deal with Lindsey Hunter? Brian Shaw? Derek Fisher? We'd die against the Spurs or Kings though. I think we'll take one from each this season. I'm hoping we trash the East again, and this time improve our Home record against the West. About Hakeem The Cat, You might as well be adding 2 players to that Toronto team. Cause Hakeem gives them a legit C, and Antonio Davis gives the a POWER forward at the 4 now. I think it's safe to say it's gonna be harder to beat them this season, if not beyond reach? If I had to bet, I'd bet on the Rox, but they're not locks to win any of those two games. Oh, and Hakeem will rip the guts of our inside game out, he really really will. Like it wasn't enough that he's a great player, that he has range on his jumper, and that he plays excellent D, he's also ver familiar with both our Centers.
From the outside....... W Phoenix Preseason L Dallas Preseason L @ Portland Preseason L @ Orlando Preseason W San Antonio Preseason W Detroit Preseason L San Antonio Preseason W Atlanta L L.A. Clippers W Minnesota W @ Phoenix W Denver L Philadelphia W @Denver L @San Antonio L L.A. Lakers L Dallas L @ Sacramento L @ Portland W @ Seattle L @ L.A. Clippers L Sacramento W @ Memphis W San Antonio L @ New York W @ Chicago W Washington L @ Minnesota W @ Detroit W Cleveland W @ Indiana W Miami L Portland L L.A. Lakers L Milwaukee W Phoenix W @ Golden State L @ L.A. Lakers W Detroit W Indiana W New York L @ Utah W Denver L @ Philadelphia L @ Toronto W @ Boston W @ New Jersey L @ Atlanta L Dallas W New Jersey L @ Charlotte W Golden State L @ Dallas W Charlotte W Utah W @ Cleveland W Memphis L Orlando W @ Washington L @ Milwaukee W Minnesota W Boston W L.A. Clippers L @ Phoenix L @ L.A. Lakers W Toronto W @San Antonio W Golden State L Utah W Seattle W @ Minnesota W Chicago L @ L.A. Clippers L @ Sacramento W @ Seattle W @ Golden State L @ Utah W Sacramento W Phoenix W Seattle L San Antonio W @ Memphis L @ Orlando L @ Miami W @ Dallas W Portland W Memphis W @ Denver L @ Portland That'd bring the Rockets to 48-34, gradually getting better as the season goes along once again. A minor improvement from last year - and possibly bigger, once the center position straightens out.
I have no idea how many wins or losses we will have but I do think we have enough to get to the playoffs but at what number I have no idea... We have a ways to go. Guys there are going to be games where a big guard(Richmond, Bryant, Smith, Wells, Carter, etc...) posts Cuttino up and does damage there and/or games where our frontcourt gets outrebounded(or worse no defense). What I mean is there is no way to guess our record... As long as we are in the playoffs I'm happy but I'm not ready to say we are a playoff team. We lost solid role players in Dream and Shandon. Moochie could be next....
Here we go... Phoenix Preseason W Dallas Preseason W @ Portland Preseason W @ Orlando Preseason W San Antonio Preseason W Detroit Preseason W San Antonio Preseason W Atlanta W L.A. Clippers W Minnesota W @ Phoenix W Denver W Philadelphia W @Denver W @San Antonio W L.A. Lakers W Dallas W @ Sacramento W @ Portland W @ Seattle W @ L.A. Clippers W Sacramento W @ Memphis W San Antonio W @ New York W @ Chicago W Washington W @ Minnesota W @ Detroit W Cleveland W @ Indiana W Miami W Portland W L.A. Lakers W Milwaukee W Phoenix W @ Golden State W @ L.A. Lakers W Detroit W Indiana W New York W @ Utah W Denver W @ Philadelphia W @ Toronto W @ Boston W @ New Jersey W @ Atlanta W Dallas W New Jersey W @ Charlotte W Golden State W @ Dallas W Charlotte W Utah W @ Cleveland W Memphis W Orlando W @ Washington W @ Milwaukee W Minnesota W Boston W L.A. Clippers W @ Phoenix W @ L.A. Lakers W Toronto W @San Antonio W Golden State W Utah W Seattle W @ Minnesota W Chicago W @ L.A. Clippers W @ Sacramento W @ Seattle W @ Golden State W @ Utah W Sacramento L Phoenix L Seattle L San Antonio L @ Memphis L @ Orlando L @ Miami L @ Dallas L Portland L Memphis L @ Denver L @ Portland L We win our first 70 games easily and clinch home court advantage throughout the playoffs. So Rudy decides to rest our entire squad for the remainder of the season and play our main guys only 10 minutes a game. This is the lineup he puts out: C-Pig Miller (we sign him in the middle of the season to give our centers a break), Collier, Cato PF-Collier, Kenny T, Griffin, Mo T SF-Langhi, Williams, Griffin, Rice SG-Morris, Williams, Cat PG-Colson, Moochie, Wink With the crappy lineup we lose our final 12 and finish 70-12 as the #1 seed. We sweep the T Wolves 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs. We then sweep the #4 seed Mavs 4-0. The Lakers, looking to 3-peat, give us a helluva battle but fall 4-1. In the finals we face Hakeem and the Raptors. We welcome Hakeem back by making him look foolish for signing with the Raps and sweep them 4-0 and become 2001-2002 NBA Champions! And if you don't agree with that I'll kill ya!!
As an addition to my prediction post, here's what types of players and teams could give the Rockets trouble... * Teams with a big backcourt. * Teams with a defensive stopper at PG. * Teams with a dominant center, PF, or both. * Teams athletic and motivated at every position. * Deep teams. Now to explain. The Rockets backcourt of Francis and Mobley, while effective, is rather small. Teams with bigger backcourts like the Magic, with 6'8" & taller guys at every position, will cause them some trobule. Defensive stoppers at PG will also take away the main option in Francis, or at least give him trouble. I'm not talking about players like Eric Snow, I'm talking people who could shut any PG down on any given night like Gary Payton and Darrell Armstrong. Obviously, the Rockets main weakness is at center. Texams with a dominant center or PF - which includes most of the west teams - will have a much easier time against the Rocks than others unless someone unforseen steps up. Both LA teams, San Antonio, Miami - teams like those with dominant players at both/one position(s) will cause the Rocks the most trouble. Highly athletic teams - especially at the SF spot - and those who are highly motivated - especially at center - will also cause the Rockets some trouble. Glen Rice is the starting SF, and at this point in his career his mobility is somewhat limited. We all know how unmotivated Cato is. Teams that can run at Rice and Cato all day will cause the Rockets trouble. Again, the Magic can kill Glen Rice with McGrady and Outlaw, Reid, et al will cause Cato many problems. Milwaukee is much the same. And, finally, really deep teams like Portland could cause the Rockets some trouble. The Rockets are a deep team, yes, but part of that hinges on how fast Griffin develops and whether or not Moochie re-signs. The starters could wear down if these conditions are not met. Just a guideline in making predictions, I guess.
