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Houston Rockets
2007-08 Record: 55-27
Cool 2007 Stat: According to ESPN’s John Hollinger and his PER (Player Efficiency Rating) system, Carl Landry had, by far, the most efficient rookie season, with a PER of 21.56 – good for 16th best in the entire NBA and better than Nash, Iverson, Melo, Deron, Pierce, B. Davis, T. Parker and several other stars.
Anticipated Starting Five
PG- Rafer Alston
SG- Tracy McGrady
SF- Ron Artest
PF- Luis Scola
C- Yao Ming
Bench: Luther Head, Brent Barry, Shane Battier, Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, Joey Dorsey
Biggest Strength – Defense
This team won 22 games in a row last season because they can flat out defend. They were 2nd in FG% defense only allowing teams to shoot 43% from the field against them. You are going to win a lot of games defending like that. This off-season they went ahead and added one of the best all-around defenders in the NBA in Ron Artest as well as defensive and rebounding specialist Joey Dorsey and very strong defender D.J. Strawberry. This team simply built on what they do well which is defense and rebounding. They are going to wear teams down by sending multiple fresh defenders at you every game.
Biggest Weakness – Yao and McGrady are injury prone
Can these guys stay healthy for an entire season? That ultimately will be the difference between competing with the Lakers and Hornets at the top of the West or getting into the playoffs as a lower seed and facing another first round exit. By adding Ron Artest I think the Rockets have some insurance if McGrady misses some games because you can slide Artest to the shooting guard position and bring Battier back in as the starting small forward. But if Yao gets hurt they would be relying on an undersized rookie center in Joey Dorsey and a collection of smaller power forwards to fill that void with Dikembe Mutombo still not resigned.
Key Player in ’08 – Yao Ming
Yao Ming has been considered the best center in the league (until Dwight Howard came into his own last year), and usually, if you have a top-2 center on your team, it’s not possible to go on a 22-game win streak when he’s NOT playing. But that’s exactly what the Rockets did last season. The team is clearly not better off without him, but this year he needs to do 2 things: He needs to stay healthy for 82 games, and he needs to play well enough, and be aggressive enough, that the team actually plays worse when he’s not in there. Ming has good numbers, but he is talented enough to score 30 points a game. He needs to take that next step in reaching his full potential this year.
Their Thaddeus (exciting player 22 or under) – Aaron Brooks, 23
The Rockets are the only team in NBA without a player 22 or under on their squad, so we had to bend the rules for this category this time around. Brooks is a lightning quick, super small PG who will be battling for a back-up spot this year. He averaged only 5ppg last year in limited time but has been playing extended minutes in the pre-season and might be primed to make an impact this season.
Pete’s 2008 Outlook: 1st place, Southwest division / 2nd place, Western conference / 3rd place, NBA
If you told me that this team would have no significant injuries and no problems with Ron Artest this upcoming season, I would absolutely, without a doubt, pick them to win the title. However, I don’t have enough confidence that that will happen. Their two best players have a long injury history, and their 3rd best player has a history of being legitimately crazy. But, you have to love their toughness, defense and depth, and if they enter the playoffs at full strength, no one will want to play them.
Dannie’s 2008 Outlook: 2nd place, Southwest division / 4th place, Western conference / 4th place, NBA (note: I think Houston will have the 3rd best record in the West (ahead of Utah), but because I have them finishing behind the Hornets in the division by rule they can at best be the 4th seed in the West not being a division winner.)
I am of the belief that Ron Artest isn’t going to be an issue in Houston. They are going to win a lot of games, and he will be a key contributor in many ways. Artest adds another scorer on offense to take some of the load off McGrady to score and create shots for everyone else. He also allows McGrady to rest a bit on defense as he can defend the better of an opponent’s SG or SF, which may help him keep Tracy’s back healthier throughout the season. The addition of a veteran 3pt shooter in Brent Barry was a good pick up to help their 26th ranked three-point shooting. This team is built to win in the playoffs, but they need to be at full strength to do so.
Philly Connection: Dikembe Mutumbo
Mutumbo was one of the biggest mid-season acquisitions in recent Philly history. The 2001 Sixers were plowing along at 41-14 but didn’t quite think they could win a championship with the team they had assembled. So, they traded their starting center, Theo Ratliff, along with Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez for Mutumbo. After the trade, Mutumbo averaged 11.7 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. In the playoffs, he went for 13.9, 13.7 and 3.1. His toughness and defense helped the Sixers reach the Finals, and he did his best against Shaq, but the Sixers fell 4-1.
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They are my pick to come out of the west and possibly win it all. Battier and Artest will wear down the high scoring wings on the defensive side and Yao is do to finally play a whole season.
Nice assessment Dannie and Peter, but be warned of my assessment– there will be a lot of “IF”s for this team. IF is like the secret word (like in Pee Wee’s Playhouse, we all scream when we hear “IF”
Greatest strength(s):
-DEFENSE (Still play it Van Gundy style)
-Yao Ming & T-Mac (”IF” healthy)–best scoring duo
-Ron Artest (”IF” focused)
-Depth in the guard position (including Steve Francis)
-Three point shooting
-Toyota Center
-A bit younger and a little more athletic
Greatest weakness(es):
-Texas Drought (offense)
When will we see Rick Adelman’s style of offense?
-HEALTH (the “IF” factor certainly kicks in)
-Second unit is a bit shaky offensively
-Where is Mutumbo–”IF” he didn’t retire?
-Slow starts to the season
-Postseason chicken bone (1st round exits- even before TMac)
-Ron Artest (”IF” screws are loose)
-A backup point guard for Alston
Before the injury, Yao Ming was playing much better under Rick Adelman. He was moving on the court better and not fumbling around as much.
I hear McGrady is going to miss the season opener, not a good way to start for the Rockets. McGrady has to be back and be vintage McGrady. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdxqKQwVNdk&feature=related
Like I said before, Bonzi Wells is still available. A Rick Adelman, Ron Artest, & Bonzi Wells reunion is not a bad idea– especially when they were with the Kings in 05-06. That team gave the Spurs all they could in 6 games that season!
Key matchups (Healthy or not):
v.s Jazz (1-2 reg season, 2-4 postseason 2008, 3-4 postseason 2007)
-We could possibly see a ”Jazz-Rockets” series Part III in the works. ”IF” the Rockets are healthy and ”IF” T-Mac gets help on the offensive end, then the Rockets could finally get over the hump and advance perhaps in 6 games. They have beaten Utah before on the road. ”IF” they also have an answer for Deron Williams, then that will be huge!! This series should also be called “GRINDHOUSE”, but that name’s taken!!
v.s Hornets (2-2 last season)
-A key series for the Southwest Division title and a higher seed (aka get away from the Jazz in the 1st round). Great defense and great fans!! Yao v.s Chandler, Rafer v.s Paul.
v.s Spurs (2-2 last season)
The battle to be the best team in Texas!! Hopes for a championship still run through the Spurs!! Another Southwest team for the beating (hopefully)!!
Yao v.s Duncan, Rafer v.s Parker. Artest v.s Bowen (heavyweight matchup over there– Crazy v.s Dirty)
v.s Lakers (2-1 last season)
-The battle to hopefully be #1 in the West.
Yao v.s Bynum, McGrady v.s Bryant,
(With that said, the Rockets are going to be 3rd in the Southwest Division, 5th in the West (but get the homecourt advantage in the 1st round by virtue of better record) I have my doubts “IF” they are going to be that healthy!!)
(On a side note, the Sixers are going to split the season with the Rockets (1-1) with each team winning on their home floors. Samuel Dalembert always looks forward to defending and competing against Yao Ming. Iggy v.s T-Mac is a fun matchup, but Artest guarding Iggy is scary! “IF” extremely healthy, then it’s ”Sixers–we have a problem!!”)
Can they duplicate a 22 game winning streak and perhaps break their franchise record?
Rob - Rockets were 26th in the NBA in three point shooting. They subtracted Steve Novak by far their best three point shooter and added Brent Barry which is a wash in my book. They also added Artest who is below average from three for his career although last season was good at 38% on 3.9 attempts per game.
Suede: Welcome back. Computer problems all straightened out, I see.
Dannie– that is true, but they are a team that revolves around perimeter shooting regardless of where they rank. It seemed to have betrayed them a bit last season. But in seasons before, it wasn’t awful.
just checking in to say hello, my friends
love the preseason posts, I have the Rockets at 3rd-4th seed in the West, after Lakers and Hornets
can’t wait for my Internet connection to be set up and for the season to start
ouh, and good luck for your Phillies, I am starting to follow some baseball (ok, just checking the scores…) and would love to see a Philly team win a title, just to stop the negadelphian culture
2008 Phillies, 2009 Sixers !!
(With that said, I have the Rockets finishing 3rd in the Southwest Division, 5th in the West, but will have homecourt advantage in the first round by virtue of better record than the 4th seeded team.)
the problem with Yaozers agressiveness &injury-proneness(?) can be attributed to his devotion to China and playing ball non-stop for the past 3 or 4 years, if Yao ever got a break from international play, that next season watch out!
make sure to check out the ReclinerGM fantasy bball league guys. there is a post up about it now.
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