<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Injuries only compound bad choices By JOHN P. LOPEZ Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle The next list of names the Rockets should put on the injured list should be yours, mine and ours. Because it hurts to watch this team. It hurts so much the final score Wednesday night should have been Tylenol 3, Rockets 0. From the dizzying height of tipping off a Game 7 against the Dallas Mavericks last season — getting that close to advancing — the Rockets have fallen into a 12-25 spiral that will land them in the NBA lottery. That's the reality. After clinging to hope in the offseason that this club would dance with the Western Conference elite, the Rockets have put forth efforts such as the humiliating 103-76 loss to the Mavs on Wednesday. It's obvious now that the dance is a death march. The season is over. The Rockets have found a lot of different ways to lose this year, but Wednesday brought the worst kind: They gave up.</div> The Chronicle A little old (around a month ago) but it basically sums up all the frustration and the hell type of season we've been having.
Injuries was primarily the factor why the Rockets had lost so many games. In order to revive the team, CD and JVG have to waive players, sign another one and has been involved in the trade market 3 times this season not counting the trade for Alston when they found out that Sura might not be able to play right away. So right now almost everyone seems to be healthy with the exception of Stromile who will be back within few days and Sura whose been reported to be out for the season. The rockets has won 10 out of 13 this february but those are mostly against struggling teams. Most of these games that they won has the same story, the Rockets leads in double figures only to collapse in the 4th quarter and barely got out with a win. Against winning teams they always stumbled. The problem is they lack mental toughness. They always allowed themselves to be bullied and being toyed around by opposing guards. Role players depend so much on TMac and Yao that they don't give themselves a chance to take over the game or at least be a threat when the two stars need them most. If everyone could just create a shot for themselves without waiting to be open, opposing team would scrumble in their defense. Take for example the Suns, everyone is active in moving around and you don't need to be a slasher to be effective inside. All you need is a little penetration to attract defenses then make a quick pass to an open man or if there's a hole take it to the basket and if lucky draw some fouls just like what Nash and Raja Bell did the other night. The Rockets have the ability to lower down opponent's FG% as they are one of the tops in the league. But no matter how you try limit them when your own team does'nt shoot well especially in home games you always end up in heartbreaking loss or an embarrassing game. Injuries surely gives chances to everyone at the end of the bench but extra effort and mental toughness is needed most.
I love it when people judge the Rockets. NO TEAM in the NBA has had more injuries. I mean 4 out of the 5 starters all missed games. Even our bench took some bumps and bruises. The record is clear, when we have our starters we're a very solid team. PERIOD!
