Everyones making a deal of how with Houston getting Swift it will help them get to the next level and may become championship contenders, but they said that last year also, when tmac came to town, and yet they were bumped out of the first round. I think Houston is getting over hyped once again.
They could improve or not improve. TMAC did improve Houston in the middle of the season. I dont really think Swift is goin to help so much but he is still a good fot for them
I think you're exaggerating what people said last year in terms of TMac making the Rockets a legitimate championship contender. The team got vastly better at SG/SF (whichever TMac played from game to game) but took considerable hits in other positons other than center as a result. A lot of people felt that the Rockets would be a dangerous team that might make noise in the playoffs but again, I think you're exaggerating the number of fans (at least those of the educated variety) that claimed that they would contend for the title. As an educated and long-time Rockets fan, I am not even going to say that they'll contend for the title this year. I do, however, believe that they will last a couple of rounds in the playoffs if they stay healthy, and will solidify themselves as one of the top 5 teams in the league. The real push for a title will come in '06-'07.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Lamont:</div><div class="quote_post">Everyones making a deal of how with Houston getting Swift it will help them get to the next level and may become championship contenders, but they said that last year also, when tmac came to town, and yet they were bumped out of the first round. I think Houston is getting over hyped once again.</div> We took a Dallas team to 7 games with NO PF, and a Point Guard playing on one leg and a hurt back. Give us a break. With a health Juwan Howard, we would have easily advanced to the second round.
I think the guy that started this thread is a angry jazz fan who knows that his team will never win a title in his life time.
I don't think people were serious with the whole Houston will become Championship Contenders last year when Tmac first arrived. Everyone acknowledged that it was just a beginning of a process towards building a contender team. I mean last year we had team chemistry issues, practically a whole new team with the exception of Yao really. Nobody really said Houston will take it all last year. So I don't really see how they were overhyped last year. This year though I can see how people might expect alot out of the Rockets, but in all reality, everyone really is just expecting us to advance past 1st round, not win the whole thing. I know it, you know it, everybody knows it. The people that think we'll win it all this year with Swift are just clowning themselves. Like Sniper said, the real contending team will show up next year or the year after that for sure. This year is another learning year, with Houston projected to advance 1 round in the playoffs, maybe 2 if we do any significant moves midseason. Anything over that would be overachieving actually.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">We took a Dallas team to 7 games with NO PF, and a Point Guard playing on one leg and a hurt back. Give us a break. With a health Juwan Howard, we would have easily advanced to the second round.</div> We may of advanced to the second round..But easily? I doubt that, it's easy to play the if game I mean I could say Juwan would of taken away shots from Yao which would of resulted in us doing worse because Yao was a great scorer on the field and couldn't of been more spectactular. But I do agree that we'd have more of a chance of advancing had Juwan been there, as for the question whether we are contenders or not, I can honestly say we are, I may be biased by my love for our Rockets but if what i'm feeling is true then I think we'll be at least a 4th seed in the West. Reasons, ah thats right! The facts that can back up my above statement, During the beginning of the 04-05 Season we lacked Team Chemistry and the correct supporting cast, not to mention for the first few games we didn't have Sura and when he did come to start for us, he still wasn't 100%!. After we made the trades for the shooters, got our Team to get to know each other better and learn how each of them played, we were the team to beat, I remember at around the All Star Break our Team on winning streak after winning streak, during that time when people mentioned the top teams in the West we were noted, whereas at the beginning of the Season I remember alot of u celebrating when we finally got to .500! What i'm trying to say is that after we aquired all the right trades and everything, we were one of the top teams and had we begun the season with that lineup and that chemistry we would of been one of the top teams and now we add a young PF that wants to win, how can that hurt us at all? Sure maybe at the beginning of the season we might have a bit of chemistry problems, but if so, I doubt it would last long since T-Mac has made it clear that he is very happy that Swift is here, that and the amount of new players that we'll aquire this offseason can't be as much as we got last season I mean by the end of the 04-05 Season the only two players that wore the Rockets jersey in the 03-04 Season were Yao Ming and Clarence Weatherspoon! Long Post, but I think I made my point clear...
Most people expected the Rockets to be pretty good last year but didn't think they had enough pieces to compete for a title. Obviously Swift is the missing link at power forward. A guy who can play defense, block shots, rebound and score a little bit. Swift has been known as a guy who lacks motivation but in the Houston system he should not have a problem in that area. The Rockets still need to fill the point guard spot and in a few years will be competing for a title. T-mac, Yao and Swift is a nice young trio to build around.
We just have the Spurs to worry about they have their main three players signed till 2010 or something. Also about getting a true point guard we should be willing to trade all our guards except Sura, Head, and Barry if we resign him.
In my mind a contender is a team that has a chance to win a championship.With that being said the Rockets are a pretender because they wont beat San Antonio.I guess everyone in the west not named San Antonio is a pretender.
Stromile Swift was a big signing for them, but I still don't think they are a contender. When I think of the word contender, as Giant Midget pointed out, I think of the word "championship" and despite how decent a player Swift is, he is not enough to make the Rockets in the same level as San Antonio or Phoenix. If the Rockets continue to sign players like this consistently, I might have to retract my statements, but as of now, I still don't see them in the same realm as San Antonio and company.
I honestly believe the rockets are one of the best 3 teams in the west, so why not call them a serious contender????........I'm not saying that we're guaranteed to win the title, but let's not try to short changer our team neither.
The point is that barring a serious injury to one of the Spurs key players,no team can beat them in a 7 game series.
Spurs can be beat in a best of 7 series but only by a team who have great defense and a guy who can handle Tony Parker. Thats the key and thats why the Pistons took the Spurs so close. Chauncey Billups was too strong and too good scoring the ball against TP and the Pistons had the great defense to contain Tim Duncan. One thing Houston do have on their side is they are a very good defensive team. They match-up very well with the Spurs and T-mac is the one guy who I think Bruce can't completely contain.
The Rockets split series with Miami, Phoenix, San Antonio, and went 3-1 on seattle last year. Without such a horrible start last year Rockets could have got home court. San Antonio, Detroit, Miami, Phoenix are the class of the league. Indiana Dallas and Houston are somewhere right behind. Phoenix and Dallas dont have good defense and can be taken advantage of as seen in the playoffs. This will be a big yr for Houston, our future franchise players will be assembled and ready to go on opening day (hopefully). With the Swift signing our problems of old age, lack of athleticism all focused on the weak power forward spot last year seemingly has been solved. I think thats why us Houston fans are excited. From what is on this board some see only 4 teams as contenders. When the Rockets prove that they can compete and beat those teams then I guess people will start taking them seriously. T Mac------SECOND BEST PLAYER IN THE WEST. #1 DUNCAN IS STILL THE MOST SKILLED CENTER SINCE HAKEEM. <<<<<<TRUE ROCKETS FAN. GO ROCKETS.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting aznhowie20:</div><div class="quote_post">Jazz sucks.</div> LOL true! but seriously even without juwan, we were contenders if yao and tmac played at the consistent level that they were playing the first couple of games of the playoffs. I even remember Magic johnson saying that if we kept it up we would be a championship caliber team! We are going to be one of those teams that nobody wants to face in the playoffs for sure!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TMacAttack:</div><div class="quote_post">We just have the Spurs to worry about they have their main three players signed till 2010 or something. Also about getting a true point guard we should be willing to trade all our guards except Sura, Head, and Barry if we resign him.</div> shieet...even if it takes Sura to get that missing piece pg, I wouldn't hesitate to throw him in too (him being old and banged up ). Luther is just a nooby rook, so I don't think he would make so much of an impact...someone like Brevin Knight or Dickau would be nice, but without that piece, I still see us advancing to the 2nd round , and I would be damn if we even get to the conference finals..
Its all about fillingi n that missing piece. Even a mid season trade for our attractive expiring contracts could suddenly launch us into the status of Spurs and Pistons. I mean look at the 03/04 Pistons before the Rasheed trade. Mediocre yes?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KfrumHTOWN!:</div><div class="quote_post">LOL true! but seriously even without juwan, we were contenders if yao and tmac played at the consistent level that they were playing the first couple of games of the playoffs. I even remember Magic johnson saying that if we kept it up we would be a championship caliber team! We are going to be one of those teams that nobody wants to face in the playoffs for sure!</div> No we have not been contenders for at least half a decade... until now Ok, maybe not even this year, I'd be happy with just making it to 2nd round... but 2006-2007 should be when the words "Championship contender" define us.
