2018-19 Houston Rockets Thread of running it back (mainly)

[LebongJames 1,765]

13 hours ago, goatsaag said:

Getting under the luxury tax is really nice because that means the Rockets don't really have the worry about it for the rest of Paul's contract.

On the basketball side of things though, the Rockets are really small on the perimeter.

pg - Paul/Rivers

sg - Harden/Green

sf - Gordon/Shumpert

pf - Tucker

c - Capela/Faried

That looks like a solid 9 man rotation but really need a bigger wing who can play some 3 and backup Tucker. No idea who ends up getting bought out but adding a Jeff Green or Wilson Chandler would be perfect. Markieff Morris could work too if it seems like he'll be healthy enough to play.

 This times 1000. Not only is the team better today than they were yesterday now there is some hope of flexibility moving forward. 

 

[ChickenSandwich 9,749]

This guy disagrees, we either do or don't have extra money to spend

Houston Rockets

Houston still has James Harden, so there will always be a chance. But after additional moves to duck under the luxury tax this week, the edges of that roster are getting bleak:

 

Tweet Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA

Gonna be difficult having a 13 man roster that has three rookie big men, an injured one, a washed up 36 year old, a project center you can't trust to play, a two-way player with no days left, Chris Paul's left leg and not enough spending money to even sign some filler right now.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2019-nba-trade-deadline-winners-002110124.html

 

[HtownHorn 14,285]

32 minutes ago, ChickenSandwich said:

This guy disagrees, we either do or don't have extra money to spend

Houston Rockets

Houston still has James Harden, so there will always be a chance. But after additional moves to duck under the luxury tax this week, the edges of that roster are getting bleak:

 

Tweet Mark Deeks @MarkDeeksNBA

Gonna be difficult having a 13 man roster that has three rookie big men, an injured one, a washed up 36 year old, a project center you can't trust to play, a two-way player with no days left, Chris Paul's left leg and not enough spending money to even sign some filler right now.

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/2019-nba-trade-deadline-winners-002110124.html

 

The Rockets are one of the few "contending" teams that still have some of their MLE.

[UDontKnow 10,439]

Would love to see Shumpert start and Gordon come off of the bench. 

[GHOSTUSER 361]

A lot to watch tonight with the Rockets, Horns and the new Alliance of American Football starting at the same time 

[UDontKnow 10,439]

Shumpert not starting. Not ideal. Would love to have had him match up against Paul George.

[Dutchrudder 10,973]

Do the Thunder owe us money? Cause we beatin' em like they do

[TexArcher 36,903]

Switched over from the Horns game to watch another blowout, but this thing got a little interesting.

[UDontKnow 10,439]

34 minutes ago, Dutchrudder said:

Do the Thunder owe us money? Cause we beatin' em like they do

You jinxed them.

[perfectchaos007 6,527]

Damn we really gonna give up our big lead in just 1 quarter

[UDontKnow 10,439]

2 minutes ago, perfectchaos007 said:

Damn we really gonna give up our big lead in just 1 quarter

That's pretty much what they did. Wish this team didn't live and die by the 3, but it is what it is.

[TexArcher 36,903]

Well god damn, guys.

[UDontKnow 10,439]

Absolutely fucking pathetic to blow a 22 point lead in one quarter at home. 

[perfectchaos007 6,527]

22 point halftime lead. tie game after 3Q

[Tommy Nobis 905]

Blew a huge lead and harden is hurt. Awesome

[GHOSTUSER 361]

Gordon sucks this year

[TexArcher 36,903]

These refs are completely lost.  We got away with a travel and they threw it out of bounds and got to keep it.

[UDontKnow 10,439]

1 minute ago, TexArcher said:

These refs are completely lost.  We got away with a travel and they threw it out of bounds and got to keep it.

Rockets more lost than the refs at the moment. Harden will have to carry the team to victory.

[Tommy Nobis 905]

Good thing Westbrook can’t shoot. He’s missed like 4 shots in a row

 

[UDontKnow 10,439]

Rockets forgot how to drive to the basket especially when Steven Adams is on the bench.

[perfectchaos007 6,527]

lol these refs on that bullshit

[Tommy Nobis 905]

Lol at that foul call. Fucking horrible

[Tommy Nobis 905]

Damn harden just face fucked Westbrook

[TexArcher 36,903]

Lol at Adams with the epic flop.  It would take three Chris Pauls to knock him down.

[GHOSTUSER 361]

Nice olè defense there Gordon

[UDontKnow 10,439]

That whole last minute by the Rockets was an abortion. Nonexistent defense and ill-advised 3 point shots.

[Tommy Nobis 905]

Fuck this team. Same old shit

[GHOSTUSER 361]

Terrible loss 

[UDontKnow 10,439]

A small solace is that Boston blew at 28 point lead and lost by 11. 

In reality, I think this team will be lucky to get out of the second round.

[Tommy Nobis 905]

A small solace is that Boston blew at 28 point lead and lost by 11. 
In reality, I think this team will be lucky to get out of the second round.

We won’t make it out of round 1

[TexArcher 36,903]

What a choke job.  

[Horn80 5,978]

Baaaaad loss

[perfectchaos007 6,527]

I'll reserve judgments until we get Capela back

[Dutchrudder 10,973]

I'll reserve judgments until we get Capela back

The team sorely missed him. Faried off the bench sounds pretty great to me. Love his fight and hustle, but he can't be our starting Center.

[NowThis 931]

Capela changes things, when is he returning? He's worth 4-6pts a game just on defense and rebounds.  Faried though has played way above expectations. Wish Morey had kept Ennis, what a tragedy. 

OKC is a well rounded team. Grant and Noel add length they didn't have in recent times. 

Also, doesn't it seem that PG is much more comfortable and a better smoother fit in the big scorer role than was KD? 

 

[LTtxfan 48,688]

Harden's run has been crazy..... but he'll be too worn out by playoffs for Rockets to advance to the Western Conference Finals.....

Edited February 10, 2019 by LTtxfan

[Dutchrudder 10,973]

Harden's run has been crazy..... but he'll be too worn out by playoffs for Rockets to advance to the Western Conference Finals.....

I wish people would retire that excuse for him.

[Pimphand 5,502]

I do not have high postseason expectations even with Capela.

[BigOrange1 6,352]

13 hours ago, perfectchaos007 said:

I'll reserve judgments until we get Capela back

yeah one of the bigger issues last night was how badly the rockets were out-rebounded.  capela will help with that massively.

still though, no excuse to blow a 22 point halftime lead at home.  i had thought the 3 seed was still attainable, but i think all the blown leads are gonna cost them and the 4 seed is gonna be the highest ceiling.  

i'm still not really worried about anyone in the west outside of golden state, but series' against okc or denver would be absolute wars.

[Slacks 6,666]

Yeah, I'm glad I missed that. Every time I turn on the Rockets, I get to see a big lead vanish like Fn David Blaine or something...

[LTtxfan 48,688]

10 hours ago, Dutchrudder said:

12 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Harden's run has been crazy..... but he'll be too worn out by playoffs for Rockets to advance to the Western Conference Finals.....

I wish people would retire that excuse for him.

Not an excuse if it's true.....

[Rockethorn1978 6,059]

Another reason why grabbing a guy like Jordan if he's bought out is a must, have two guys that can rebound, rim protect and grab lobs from Harden and cp3 would be nice.

No idea though if Jordan will get bought out since he's still playing with NY, wouldn't mind a Wilson Chandler too.

When do guys normally start getting bought out becoming a FA? after the all star break?

[NowThis 931]

Houston need to do this:

1. get Capela back healthy

2. experiment with playing Cap / Faried together to get more boards and inside scoring.

3. get CP3 to be ball dominant , like last year, not Harden all the time which makes CP3 useless. 

4. CP3 needs to do the lateral dribble across the FT line which he mastered last year, setting up an easy 12-14 ft shot for him / or dish dunk for Capela

5. Harden should drive more, don't take so many 35 footers

damn, wish they would have kept Ennis, Shumpert is trash.  Getting House would have been a game changer too. 

Only teams to worry about is GS and OKC. I see Denver as kind of soft.  Houston can make the WCF is all goes well. 

[goatsaag 279]

1 hour ago, NowThis said:

Only teams to worry about is GS and OKC. I see Denver as kind of soft.  Houston can make the WCF is all goes well. 

The only team in the West that can beat a healthy Rockets team in a playoff series is the Warriors. No one else is getting past a game 6.

[ChickenSandwich 9,749]

Get Jordan. This team still needs pieces. 

[Drew 2,222]

Jordan doesn’t defend it Rim protect anymore. Don’t go thinking they’re getting 2015 DAJ.

BUT he will get rebounds and catch lobs.

[NowThis 931]

14 hours ago, ChickenSandwich said:

Get Jordan. This team still needs pieces. 

for who? I'd much rather have Capela who is on the rise while Jordan peaked a while back and is on his downward slope. 

[ChickenSandwich 9,749]

23 minutes ago, NowThis said:

for who? I'd much rather have Capela who is on the rise while Jordan peaked a while back and is on his downward slope. 

Assuming he is bought out. 

I think our biggest struggles are due to an inability to replace Ariza from last year. One of the better  3-D role players in the league, which by default (Gordon to bench) strengthens depth. 

None of the additions have come close to filling that void and I’m not sure that player is out there right now. Even 2019 Ariza is not good enough. 

Edited February 11, 2019 by ChickenSandwich

[BigOrange1 6,352]

really need to win these last two games before the break against sub .500 teams.  

rockets are 11 point favorites tonight.  that stuns me.  is luka out?

[Zavala 1,384]

Sloppy out of control drive, another injured center. Fuck. We're down to garbage big men.