Are the 30-43 Warriors or the 32-42 Rockets the biggest suprise?The Warriors have a talented lineup with J-Rich and Baron Davis the top players (who might I add haven't been playing up to peak performance) and were expected to at least make the playoffs most thought they would be 2nd in their division with the likes of the 2 LA teams, Sacramento and Pheonix with the Suns winning the division.On the other hand you got the lowly Rockets who have two all stars in itself T-Mac and Yao. Some had them going to the Western Conference finals, but instead are sitting at the bottom of the conference. You might make a case for both whom have been injury plagued.
2 good players don't make a team any good,now 1 star player in McGrady and Yao who are improving makes you a good team,this just hasn't been the Rockets season,way to many injuries.As for the warriors,I never even predict them to make the playoffs until they make some decent acquisitions.
Neither are a surprise. Houston has had injuries, and you'd have to be an idiot at the beginning of the season to think the Warriors would succeed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lakaboy42 @ Apr 5 2006, 10:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Neither are a surprise. Houston has had injuries, and you'd have to be an idiot at the beginning of the season to think the Warriors would succeed.</div>You wouldn't be an idiot to think that. I bet half of the people on this board had them getting to the playoffs at the beginning of the year. I know I did. Golden State is the bigger surprise, because they didn't have many huge injuries. I expected Houston to finish higher, but injuries kill.
I thought the Rockets would definately make the playoffs but I wasn't sure about the Warriors. Sure they have alot of talent at the guard spots but their frontcourt is pretty weak. There is no one there who can dominate you on the glass or anything like that. They aren't a very good defensive team at all. So I say Rockets.It seems that Tmac or Yao is either out at one point of the season. They never seem to play together that much. Alston has been an embarrasement as always. He is working on his pg skills but he turns the ball over alot and makes a fool of himself. He bricks almost all of his jumpers. Derek Anderson's knees gave out and he couldn't do anything out there. They had to trade him. The one bright spot is Head who seems to be a pretty good defender and he brings alot of energy to their team. Whether it is knocking down the jumper or beating his man to the inside. He has shown alot of progression. And Yao, when he hasn't been out for foot fungus has been dominate. He has learned a lot of foot work and he looks like he knows what he is doing out there finally. Because of his height he can tip it over the opposing defender or snatch a board pretty easily. He has soft hands and because of the height advantage he can shoot a little too. He affects players' shots because of his height which is always good.Tmac on the other hand has been nagged by back problems and whenever he seems to get healthy again, he gets nailed by another injury. Because of that he hasn't done alot for the team, really. Swift is athletic and he is good at getting position in the post but he is still pretty raw for his age and doesn't play great defense. I don't know it seems that everyone ecept Yao and Head have been a dissapointment for them and because of the injuries and all that, their team just crumbled. So the answer to your question is the Rockets.
i think the rockets were the bigge suprise. although i had both in the playoffs at the beginning of the season. i had the rockets at the 5th seed and the worriors at the 7th seed. a lot of ppl had the rockets higher than the mavericks. the injuries really killed them. and the worriors, well you have to be able to play defense.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lakaboy42 @ Apr 5 2006, 10:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Neither are a surprise. Houston has had injuries, and you'd have to be an idiot at the beginning of the season to think the Warriors would succeed.</div>For real dude how can you say that someone would be an idiot to place the Warriors in the playoffs. That means most of us would be idiots.
With Baron Davis leading that team at the end of the year last year, it looked like they were going to play some inspiritational ball this year, and possibly some dammage in the playoffs. They've had their share of injuries, along with Houston, but I think Houston is the bigger suprise. With the addition of Stro Swift, everyone thought that would be the final piece, replacing an aging Juwan Howard. Everyone had high expectations for him, but he's underachieved and the TMac-Yao combo hasnt been seen alot on the floor together.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pistonz4life @ Apr 5 2006, 09:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>For real dude how can you say that someone would be an idiot to place the Warriors in the playoffs. That means most of us would be idiots.</div>I live out here in the bay area with all these rabid Warrior fans, so I have to follow the team a little, and you just had to know they were gonna collapse. I'm making 50 bucks off it, my dad's making 1000. Yeah, 1000 bucks on a bet. A team with Baron Davis (unbelievably injury prone) as their main guy and Adonal Foyle as their starting center, with Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy in the starting 5 just isn't going far at all. Look at their roster, not a single 7 footer.
warriors are a good team man..but rockets have been a bigger surprise.. sucks i thought it was our year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (regularguy @ Apr 5 2006, 10:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>warriors are a good team man..</div>No defense, no post play, and a bunch of soft white guys jacking up threes.
definitely the rockets. many people thought they could be at least a top 5 team because of yao and t mac but injuries to both guys really screwed em over.
It has to be the Rockets i mean Yao and t-mac now thats pretty hard to stop now wats easy to stop is an hurt t-mac thats why we aint doin that good b/c t-mac has been hurt this year.
I think they are about equal, alot of people had high hopes for Houston, but I never really thought theyd be as good as people were predicting. The one team I did predict to be a breakout was Golden State, I thought they would finally break their playoff drought and have a nice year..I expected both teams to be solid playoff calibre teams, but I didnt expect Houston the be the powerhouse people were calling for..Golden State really has no excuse though, Houston will point the blame to T-Mac's injury difficulties..
