18 Regular Season games. Playing like an MVP and being fundamentally sound are two different things. Are you really trying to say that Griffin would be the MVP of the league if not for CP3? ha! How many times did Griffin lead the clippers to the playoffs before CP3 showed up in town? CP3 is the engine for the clippers. Take him off the roster for 82 games and they're a .500 ball club. But Griffin would put up good numbers because there is no one else there. His usage% would skyrocket. Griffin is not a good match for anyone because he has no go-to-move, and 90% of his jumpers he is attempting to jump straight up but he jumps backward on his shot. On his post moves he doesn't have his shoulders square to the hoop and he shys away from contact. All things he needs to improve on to make CP3's job easier. But he hasn't so CP3 can't rely on him. Fundamentals.
So Houston and Portland have the same record, but one, according to Eric, is a contender, and the other he questions if they will even make the playoffs? There should be penalties for starting too many asinine threads.
I think Houston will make the playoffs, but probably the bottom 3 teams. Who knows though. With OKC and Clippers not playing at the level as expected (OKC has an excuse), there are 2 top spots that are open. I think Memphis took one of them, leaving Houston a chance to be a top 4 team. Then again, Dallas is looking pretty good too. Maybe a 4-5 matchup? That would be a hell of a series!
Strength of Schedule and margin of victory are big deals, though. The SRS stat is MOV weighted by SOS. Houston's SRS is 2.83, much closer to 9th place Phoenix (2.61), than 7th place Kings (5.78). Then there is Dwight's mysterious knee injury that came right around when him beating his kid became a thing. Without Dwight's 100% engagement, Houston has troubles. BTW, Portland's SRS is currently 9.80, second in the league to Golden State (10.73).
Houston has been hanging in there and winning close games with only two starters playing every game so far.
It's definitely a credit to their starters that they are winning, but they have had the second easiest strength of schedule so far this year, too.
Exactly. MM doesn't understand this. There should be a penalty for his running in with I told you so after one Indiana win in the ECF last year. Too soon for such an asinine post, MM. Learn the game, Mr Man. Then post. Go Blazers!
And there should also be penalties for pointless whining. If you don't like the topic of the thread, don't read it. If you don't like the OP's posts, put him on ignore. No one forced you to open this thread. You knew both the subject and the identity of the poster when you opened the thread. You chose to do so and you also chose to respond. No one to blame but yourself and you own lack of self control. This comes from the same poster that after the Blazers started 22-4 last year kept insisting they were a mediocre team that benefited from an easy schedule, would finish .500 and miss the playoffs. Oh the irony.... As others have pointed out, Houston has had a ridiculously easy schedule, way easier than the Blazers had at this point last year. Hollinger's Playoff Odds don't come out until December, but his current Power Rankings, which factors in strength of schedule and margin of victory, has the Rockets ranked 10th in the Western Conference. So yes, will the Rockets make the playoffs is a legitimate question. BNM
It actually came out already... http://espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds The funny thing is that it shows Houston missing the playoffs
To be fair, it would be much easier to Ignore Thread if there was an actual Ignore Thread option on these forums. Stupid threads keep rising to the top of my feed.
Excellent, when I checked two days ago, it said the Playoff Odds weren't coming out until December. The Rockets are currently ranked 9th in the West for making the playoffs with a 49.4% chance. So, according to Hollinger's formula and simulations, the Rockets have a 50/50 chance of missing the playoffs. Perhaps this wasn't such an asinine thread after all. BNM
Marc Stein just jumped off Houston's bandwagon dumping them from 1st to 6th: http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings
Stein's Power Rankings don't really mean much. They are based 100% on gut feel, hexes and jinxes. Still, looks like he's starting to see the Rockets are fool's gold. BNM
Completely asinine . Not only is the thread completely asinine, the OP goes on to say they would lose to their next three game to "make his point" so now that they won those games without their best player, this thread is even worse
I suppose if your basketball points are rebuffed with data, you can always fall back on complaining that you're being targeted.
Ive got you penciled in as 100% sure that the rockets make the playoffs. We'll see how it goes down. I think there's a good shot they make it but I'd never say I was 100% sure about a team in a conference as deep as the west.
