Quote:
Originally Posted by AkademikONE
Houston... the most hyped up team this season.
22-win game streak was for nothing if they don't
get out of the 1st round, but it looks like T-Mac will
not make it past the first round again. Also, they are
going into the toughest arena to play in, where the Jazz
were 36-4.
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With both Yao and Tracy healthy I believe the Rockets are a contender, probably not the favorite, but a contender. They addition of a PF who wasnt completely inept on offense (Scola/Landry) added alot to this team and really changed the scheme of things when everyone was healthy. The addition pushed the Rockets, imo, over the proverbial hump with teams like Utah and GS, whom Hou has always had trouble matching up with. Last year teams would be able to front or double Yao while ignoring Hayes who couldn't make a layup. I think the change was really evident when we played the Warriors the 2nd time (I think) with Scola starting as PF when their quick double of Yao also led to a quick 15+ pt lead courtesy of Scola making short distance open shots that Hayes could not make if his life depended on it. So that was a long winded answer for basically saying barring the injury, I don't think Hou is overrated at all, it just took half the season for Adelman to start the right person at PF.
Also, the 22 game streak absolutely meant something. I watched almost every single game of the streak (and really, of the season) and it was one of the best displays of team basketball and chemistry I have ever seen at the professional level, especially the 2nd half of the streak after Yao's injury. To not give them props is just really being blind to great basketball.
If Houston could have a full season and post season of Yao and TMac + a better PG (Rafer had an absolute career year, but the pessimist in me can't help but think he'd still get destroyed by the likes of cp3, deron, even parker), I think they'd be a shoo in for the championship.