Dallas vs Houston

[coach]

mavs and rockets are playing a great game on tnt...

[JR2004]

Couple of non-contenders going at it. Looks like Dallas will be a 40-45 win team this year. I might be a little generous with that.

This year is the biggest gap between the haves (Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Spurs) and have-nots (rest of the conference which is mediocre at best. Portland is the only one of the group that can join the haves over the next few years.) in at least 15 years. The East looks like it'll be on equal footing as a conference this year due to the West being really down.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by JR2004
Couple of non-contenders going at it. Looks like Dallas will be a 40-45 win team this year. I might be a little generous with that.

This year is the biggest gap between the haves (Hornets, Jazz, Lakers, Spurs) and have-nots (rest of the conference which is mediocre at best. Portland is the only one of the group that can join the haves over the next few years.) in at least 15 years. The East looks like it'll be on equal footing as a conference this year due to the West being really down.


Uhm Yeah:thinking:

Maybe the Mavs are the have nots but the Rockets are definatley contenders!

[coach]

usual dirk playing a great 3 qrts then scoring 1 point in the fourth

[Bull's-eye]

There's a new sheriff in the West! Rockets defeat Dallas 112-102, despite all the flops by Dirk.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by coach
usual dirk playing a great 3 qrts then scoring 1 point in the fourth

Rockets finally put Artest on him and that was all she wrote.

[JR2004]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
the Rockets are definatley contenders!

They're a member of the mediocre group. Any team that Adelman or McQuitter is a part of is of no worry to the top four teams.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by Bull's-eye
There's a new sheriff in the West! Rockets defeat Dallas 112-102, despite all the flops by Dirk.

It will be interesting when Shane Battier gets back. They should improve on the 55 wins a season ago. I like what I saw in the 4th even with McGrady on the bench.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by JR2004
They're a member of the mediocre group. Any team that Adelman or McQuitter is a part of is of no worry to the top four teams.


Yeah, just as Adelman's Portland Trailblazers?

[JR2004]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
Yeah, just as Adelman's Portland Trailblazers?

Yes. They were chokers as well.

The 91 Western Finals come to mind when they choked in Game 6.

The 2002 Western Finals in games 6 and 7.

Adelman has yet to prove me wrong. He's not a big game coach. Never has been and never will be.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
It will be interesting when Shane Battier gets back. They should improve on the 55 wins a season ago. I like what I saw in the 4th even with McGrady on the bench.

I agree, Battier will give them another shut down defender. I like the 2nd unit with Brooks leading the way. Artest is a beast, funny how he made every Dallas fan get out of their seats, but Howard didn't want any part of him.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by JR2004
Yes. They were chokers as well.

The 91 Western Finals come to mind when they choked in Game 6.

The 2002 Western Finals in games 6 and 7.

Adelman has yet to prove me wrong. He's not a big game coach. Never has been and never will be.


So, can you do better? Probably not.
You are talking about a coach who obviously doesn't steep foot on the court to defend anyone. Yes, his team didn't win the big ones, but, he has a good track record of getting teams to that level. Let's just wait and see how the season plays out.:D

[Bull's-eye]

A coach can only do so much, I could probably get this Rockets team to the finals.

I got tickets for Tuesday night (Rockets & Celtics), possible preview of the NBA Finals.

[Bull's-eye]

Hemotoxic, don't worry abour JR2004. He talked trash right up the Rockets 22 game win streak, but went in to hiding when they defeated his beloved Lakers.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by Bull's-eye
Hemotoxic, don't worry abour JR2004. He talked trash right up the Rockets 22 game win streak, but went in to hiding when they defeated his beloved Lakers.


Thanks Bull's-eye.

[JasperDog94]

Ahhhhhh....JR talkin' smack....it must be basketball season.;)

[JR2004]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
So, can you do better? Probably not.
You are talking about a coach who obviously doesn't steep foot on the court to defend anyone. Yes, his team didn't win the big ones, but, he has a good track record of getting teams to that level. Let's just wait and see how the season plays out.:D

It'll play out with the Lakers and Hornets in the West Finals. Everyone outside of the Jazz and the Spurs in the West are just schedule filler.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by JR2004
It'll play out with the Lakers and Hornets in the West Finals. Everyone outside of the Jazz and the Spurs in the West are just schedule filler.


CELTICS WIN!!!!! I guess you forgot that part? No one cares who plays in the finals in the West. Its all about the winning the championship.

[JR2004]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
Ahhhhhh....JR talkin' smack....it must be basketball season.;)

You betcha! I'll probably take another sabbatical around March or April (This year was earlier than normal.) so there won't be much from me for a couple of months again. I don't think I've ever posted much in the spring on here after high school basketball ends though.

[Bull's-eye]

Didn't the '81 & '86 Lakers choke to the Rockets? That '81 Rocket team was barely a .500 team.

Good article on tonight's game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=281030006

[JR2004]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
CELTICS WIN!!!!! I guess you forgot that part? No one cares who plays in the finals in the West. Its all about the winning the championship.

Okay...Let me go ahead and add that in then. The Lakers will beat the Hornets in the West Finals and then beat the Leprechauns if they make it back. It doesn't matter. They'll beat whatever team makes it out of the East this year. If they don't it'll be a major disappointment. Last year I was just happy they made it after the prior three years.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by JR2004
Okay...Let me go ahead and add that in then. The Lakers will beat the Hornets in the West Finals and then beat the Leprechauns if they make it back.

:fnypost: :spitlol: :lies:

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by JR2004
Okay...Let me go ahead and add that in then. The Lakers will beat the Hornets in the West Finals and then beat the Leprechauns if they make it back. It doesn't matter. They'll beat whatever team makes it out of the East this year. If they don't it'll be a major disappointment. Last year I was just happy they made it after the prior three years.


Ok, good look to your Lakers.

The season just started yesterday, and you are already not given other teams credit. I understand you have a love for you Lakers, but atleast see how the season pans out. Anything can happen. I think that the Lakers were a surprise to everyone making it all the way to the Finals. Can they repeat that same success? Maybe. No reason for them not to. On the other hand, some teams have improved greatly over the summer and will be a threat in the NBA. With those changes, will the team chemistry work out? I understand that you believe that the teams coached by Coach Aldeman "choked" in previous seasons. But, as someone else said earlier, the coach can only do so much.

[Bull's-eye]

The Lakers were really struggling before last season. Kobe wanted to be traded and there was rumors that certain players didn't want to play with him. Things finally started to come together and then they went out and stole Gasol. The Rockets had the Lakers number last season, despite playing 2 games without one of their big 2. Lakers were very fortunate that the Rockets lost Yao. If JR2004 doesn't want to acknowledge the Rockets as a contender, then that's his right. Just shows his lack of basketball knowledge. Next he'll say the Celtics aren't any good.

[JR2004]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
The season just started yesterday, and you are already not given other teams credit.

I'm a Laker fan. It's what we do.

I was kind enough though to include New Orleans, Utah and San Antone amongst the top 4. I feel that's giving them credit for being teams that will play us well come playoff time.

[Bull's-eye]

The NBA loves the Lakers. They get to open at home and then they go on the road to play the Clippers. :doh: Do they get to use their same lockers?

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Bull's-eye
The NBA loves the Lakers. They get to open at home and then they go on the road to play the Clippers. :doh: Do they get to use their same lockers? No, but I heard that they occasionally use the same showers.:devil: :p :p

[big daddy russ]

As much as I hate to say it, JR's right. As of right now, the Lakers are head-and-shoulders above everyone else in the West. New Orleans is good, but they lost to a weak San Antonio squad last year. The Spurs that didn't have anyone who could constantly penetrate the Hornets' defense (Parker played scared during half the games and Ginobili was about 70% on that bum wheel). New Orleans is only getting better, but I doubt they take enough of a step to play with the Lakers. Just enough to be on the Spurs' level if the Spurs are 100%

The Jazz are neck and neck with those two.

Even if the addition of one of my players really improves the Rockets as much as everyone else seems to think, they should be on the same level as the other three.

The Spurs will be seeded somewhere in the middle of the West come playoff time, but (like they do every year) will start playing like a two-seed right around February or March.

The Hornets will be great all year long. So will the Jazz.

The Rockets will be as long as T-Mac and Yao hold up. Which should be somewhere between 55 and 60 games.

If Brandon Bass and Jason Kidd make strides in Rick Carlisle's system, the Mavs could be a second-tier team (like the Spurs, Jazz, etc.).

The Nuggets are overrated. Even though I love Allen Iverson, Melo, and JR Smith's games.

The Warriors are fun to watch, but shouldn't expect much more than to put a scare their first-round opponent. Even if Andris Biedrins takes the next step.

But only because Nellie won't give Biedrins enough run due to his man-crush on Al Harrington. And this is all assuming that Monta Ellis actually is a point guard.

Portland MAY surprise someone in the first round. But it's doubtful. Their time is coming.

Phoenix is going nowhere fast. You don't trade big for small. But Phoenix should've flipped the saying. Shaq's the most overrated player in the League.

My big pick of the year... the Clipps will sneak up on some teams. If Baron Davis stays healthy, they make the playoffs. If Marcus Camby stays healthy.... well... if Davis stays healthy they'll make the playoffs.



Here are the tiers of NBA teams.

1st Tier
-Celts
-Lakers

2nd Tier
-Hornets
-Spurs
-Jazz
-Pistons

2-1/2 Tier (Teams that could be in the second tier, but I'm holding off judgment until I see them a bit more)
-Rockets
-76ers

3rd Tier
-Portland
-Phoenix
-Dallas
-Denver (if J.R. Smith gets some playing time)
-Cavs
-Orlando


Nobody else matters.

The West is still the better league, but the East's top two (Detroit and Boston) can play with anyone. The rest of the East is average at best.

MJ needed Pippen. Kobe needed Odom and Gasol. LeBron needs more than Mo Williams. A lot more. Oh, and he's not on the Kobe level just yet. He's gonna have to get better at making key stops before I'll put him on the Kobe level.

Dwight Howard's a beast with a decent supporting cast, the Raptors are a poor man's Rockets-complete with the health issues, and the 76ers need some clutch performers before they move up with the big boys.

[Bull's-eye]

I disagree, the Rockets have added key players and are being mentioned as a team capable of going to the Finals. Yes, staying healthy will be a key, but this year's team has so much depth. They will have the luxury of shortening Yao's & T-Mac's playing time and thus keep them a little fresher for the playoffs. Last season they won 55 games while losing Yao a good part of the season. This team has added Ron Artest, Brent Barry and watch out for the emergence of Aaron Brooks & Carl Landry. Brooks was the Rockets leading scorer in pre-season and Landry (now healthy) will give Houston a very good bench. This team has great chemistry with players like Battier, Scola & Hayes. These guys don't care about their stats, they will do anything to help this team win. I'm sure we will hear about T-Mac's inability to get out of the first round, but his career playoff numbers have been very good (do a little research). Hopefully, this team will be a 1 or 2 seed and not have to worry about facing someone like Utah right off the bat.

[Bull's-eye]

Celtics & Lakers should be considered the favorites, but watch out for Houston.

[Bull's-eye]

TTT

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by Bull's-eye
Hemotoxic, don't worry abour JR2004. He talked trash right up the Rockets 22 game win streak, but went in to hiding when they defeated his beloved Lakers. Yea but didnt he get the last laugh when his team went to the finals and your team went home yet again in the first round?

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
As much as I hate to say it, JR's right. As of right now, the Lakers are head-and-shoulders above everyone else in the West. New Orleans is good, but they lost to a weak San Antonio squad last year. The Spurs that didn't have anyone who could constantly penetrate the Hornets' defense (Parker played scared during half the games and Ginobili was about 70% on that bum wheel). New Orleans is only getting better, but I doubt they take enough of a step to play with the Lakers. Just enough to be on the Spurs' level if the Spurs are 100%

The Jazz are neck and neck with those two.

Even if the addition of one of my players really improves the Rockets as much as everyone else seems to think, they should be on the same level as the other three.

The Spurs will be seeded somewhere in the middle of the West come playoff time, but (like they do every year) will start playing like a two-seed right around February or March.

The Hornets will be great all year long. So will the Jazz.

The Rockets will be as long as T-Mac and Yao hold up. Which should be somewhere between 55 and 60 games.

If Brandon Bass and Jason Kidd make strides in Rick Carlisle's system, the Mavs could be a second-tier team (like the Spurs, Jazz, etc.).

The Nuggets are overrated. Even though I love Allen Iverson, Melo, and JR Smith's games.

The Warriors are fun to watch, but shouldn't expect much more than to put a scare their first-round opponent. Even if Andris Biedrins takes the next step.

But only because Nellie won't give Biedrins enough run due to his man-crush on Al Harrington. And this is all assuming that Monta Ellis actually is a point guard.

Portland MAY surprise someone in the first round. But it's doubtful. Their time is coming.

Phoenix is going nowhere fast. You don't trade big for small. But Phoenix should've flipped the saying. Shaq's the most overrated player in the League.

My big pick of the year... the Clipps will sneak up on some teams. If Baron Davis stays healthy, they make the playoffs. If Marcus Camby stays healthy.... well... if Davis stays healthy they'll make the playoffs.



Here are the tiers of NBA teams.

1st Tier
-Celts
-Lakers

2nd Tier
-Hornets
-Spurs
-Jazz
-Pistons

2-1/2 Tier (Teams that could be in the second tier, but I'm holding off judgment until I see them a bit more)
-Rockets
-76ers

3rd Tier
-Portland
-Phoenix
-Dallas
-Denver (if J.R. Smith gets some playing time)
-Cavs
-Orlando


Nobody else matters.

The West is still the better league, but the East's top two (Detroit and Boston) can play with anyone. The rest of the East is average at best.

MJ needed Pippen. Kobe needed Odom and Gasol. LeBron needs more than Mo Williams. A lot more. Oh, and he's not on the Kobe level just yet. He's gonna have to get better at making key stops before I'll put him on the Kobe level.

Dwight Howard's a beast with a decent supporting cast, the Raptors are a poor man's Rockets-complete with the health issues, and the 76ers need some clutch performers before they move up with the big boys.

Again, the season just began and all that you can compare is last year's results. Teams have changed over the summer. Is there a problem in seeing how each team will benifit/not benifit after the changes before we come to judgement?

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
Yea but didnt he get the last laugh when his team went to the finals and your team went home yet again in the first round?


Yes, but the Celtics got the last laugh, not the Lakers.

[themsu97]

Lakers may make the finals, they may not...
I have to agree with Hemotoxic here and say it is way too early... who knows who will get hurt or what trade may take place... if the Lakers do not make the Gasol trade they do not even sniff the finals...

Doesn't matter, Kobe has to prove so badly that he can win without Shaq, eventhough he needs Bynum, that when the game is close he will continue to shoot eventhough it will cost them the game...
and Gasol will continue to be a no show when the game is on the line, like in the finals last year...

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
Yes, but the Celtics got the last laugh, not the Lakers. Since noone was talking about the Celtics thanks for the irrelevant post. I was saying Bulls_eye talks all about how JR disappered when the Rockets beat the Lakers in the regular season. Im sure JR could care less about the regular season since his guys went to the finals and the Rockets were home for Mothers day yet again.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
Since noone was talking about the Celtics thanks for the irrelevant post. I was saying Bulls_eye talks all about how JR disappered when the Rockets beat the Lakers in the regular season. Im sure JR could care less about the regular season since his guys went to the finals and the Rockets were home for Mothers day yet again.


Yes, but, still no trophy, eagles_victory, for the Lakers. It all boils down to who wins the championship, right? Who cares if they were in the finals, they didn't win, period.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
Since noone was talking about the Celtics thanks for the irrelevant post. I was saying Bulls_eye talks all about how JR disappered when the Rockets beat the Lakers in the regular season. Im sure JR could care less about the regular season since his guys went to the finals and the Rockets were home for Mothers day yet again.

Every team was being mentioned, go back and read some of the earlier posts. Last season, JR talked plenty smack about the Rockets, but disappeared when Houston defeated his beloved Lakers. If he wants to talk smack, then he will have to be a man and learn how to take it. Who will remember the 2007-2008 runner ups? Sorry my friend, it's all about who wins the championship.

[eagles_victory]

Originally posted by Bull's-eye
Every team was being mentioned, go back and read some of the earlier posts. Last season, JR talked plenty smack about the Rockets, but disappeared when Houston defeated his beloved Lakers. If he wants to talk smack, then he will have to be a man and learn how to take it. Who will remember the 2007-2008 runner ups? Sorry my friend, it's all about who wins the championship. Im just saying he has more room to talk than you do since his team went farther. I dont like the Rockets or the Lakers so I could care less. Neither has a right to say much but if anyone can talk more its the Lakers since they advanced farther. That would be like Lavega talking trash to China Spring because they beat them in the regular season well CS went farther in the playoffs so what does the regular season matter?

BTW I will remember who the 2007-2008 runners up were I can remember all the runner ups for like the past 15-20 years.

[Pick6]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
Since noone was talking about the Celtics thanks for the irrelevant post.

Considering that this is a Dallas - Houston thread, the posts about the lakers are just as irrelevant here.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by JasperDog94
No, but I heard that they occasionally use the same showers.:devil: :p :p

:spitlol:

[JR2004]

Originally posted by eagles_victory
Since noone was talking about the Celtics thanks for the irrelevant post. I was saying Bulls_eye talks all about how JR disappered when the Rockets beat the Lakers in the regular season. Im sure JR could care less about the regular season since his guys went to the finals and the Rockets were home for Mothers day yet again.

This is true. I don't care about the regular season or who we win or lose to during that part of the season. I watch all the games, but I couldn't give a flip about who we beat or who we lose to outside of match-ups involving the Leprechauns.

[BTownVBall3]

I'm sold on the Rockets right now..Can't wait to find out for sure in the matchup with the celtics next week.

[Bull's-eye]

Originally posted by BTownVBall3
I'm sold on the Rockets right now..Can't wait to find out for sure in the matchup with the celtics next week.

Me too! The Mavericks actually played a very good game. They appeared energized for their home opener and it took a very good effort by the Rockets to get the win. This was also the back end of back-to-back games for the Rockets and I thought they may fade down the stretch. I don't think too many teams would of got out of Dallas with the victory. Mavericks aren't bad, but they do have a glaring need at center. Yao was having his way and most of his shots came too easy. Dirk & Howard need a little more help.

[Necks_Fan]

Dallas can score with alomst anybody. They just need an identity on Defense.

[eagles_victory]

Im not saying the Rockets arent legit by any means I was just saying JR had more bragging rights last year. I have always loved Artest so he is a good addition. However, its going to be the same thing as always when you talk Houston Rockets basketball and that is staying healthy.