***Official 2008-2009 Houston Rockets Thread***

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by Hollywood49er:
Alston suspended for one game tonight vs the Spurs, thats great we get to see Brooks starting at PG

Just fyi, the ESPN article says that he's suspended for two, bro.

Yeah you are correct. 2 games for Barnes and Alston and 1 for Nash.

Damn Artest, Yao and McGrady all hurt tonight hahaha

Originally posted by socalfan21:
Damn Artest, Yao and McGrady all hurt tonight hahaha

Its the Rockets its just a matter of time. Thats why I never believe all the hype they get year after year. If they stayed healthy then thats a different story but TMac and Yao are never gonna be healthy for a whole year together.

Yao and Artest are fine but Tmac's knee isn't.

Yao and Artest will be fine. I'm actually glad McGrady is finally going out now. He hasn't been himself all year and I don't see the point in playing him now and having him be no good for POs. This team is good enough and plenty deep enough to get a top 5 seed w/o him, why use him now?? With Landry and Scola, there's more than enough scoring now, once Battier comes back, we'll start to see that suffocating D Houston is known for. I hope TMac stays out until at least 2009, just before the ASG.

Originally posted by TX9R:
Yao and Artest will be fine. I'm actually glad McGrady is finally going out now. He hasn't been himself all year and I don't see the point in playing him now and having him be no good for POs. This team is good enough and plenty deep enough to get a top 5 seed w/o him, why use him now?? With Landry and Scola, there's more than enough scoring now, once Battier comes back, we'll start to see that suffocating D Houston is known for. I hope TMac stays out until at least 2009, just before the ASG.

Yeah TX I agree 100%. We don't need Tmac right now, Come back healthy.

Originally posted by beefn:

Originally posted by TX9R:
Yao and Artest will be fine. I'm actually glad McGrady is finally going out now. He hasn't been himself all year and I don't see the point in playing him now and having him be no good for POs. This team is good enough and plenty deep enough to get a top 5 seed w/o him, why use him now?? With Landry and Scola, there's more than enough scoring now, once Battier comes back, we'll start to see that suffocating D Houston is known for. I hope TMac stays out until at least 2009, just before the ASG.

Yeah TX I agree 100%. We don't need Tmac right now, Come back healthy.

I heard Artest might miss some time..

man that injury bug is real in Houston

Originally posted by socalfan21:
I heard Artest might miss some time..

Not sure where you heard that, now all 3 are fine apparently:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6119234.html

Battier is back at practice, which is nice. I don't like that TMac is back to business as usual and wants to play tomorrow. This is the BEST time for him to sit and rest a few weeks, the games aren't going to mean any less than they do right now. Management should step in and force him to sit.

Originally posted by TX9R:
Yao and Artest will be fine. I'm actually glad McGrady is finally going out now. He hasn't been himself all year and I don't see the point in playing him now and having him be no good for POs. This team is good enough and plenty deep enough to get a top 5 seed w/o him, why use him now?? With Landry and Scola, there's more than enough scoring now, once Battier comes back, we'll start to see that suffocating D Houston is known for. I hope TMac stays out until at least 2009, just before the ASG.

I actually disagree. Thr offense is stagnant right now if it doesn't go through McGrady. If Artest is hitting his jumpers then it's ok. But only for him and Yao. Brooks and Alston can get their shots off. Allbeit both are better after a Tmac drive or mad crazy ball movement.

Scola's game also doesn't mesh well with Artest's. Atleast not up to this point. Without Tmac Scola doesn't get alot of those open jumpers and Alston/Brooks/battier don't get alot of them open 3's. It would just be Artest one on one and Yao posting up and everybody else get in where you fit in.

Don't think they can win like that in the West. We would be behind a gigantic 8 ball if Tmac sat out until the ASG. Then they will have to try and mesh everything toether again.

What we need is a point guard who can penetrate and set other guys up for easy baskets. Then Tmac sitting until the ASG would be a great idea.

I actually think Skip is a good passer when he's not jacking up 3s. I think Battier coming back and moving Artest to the bench will really make a difference. I doubt we can land the type of PG you talk about, there just aren't many around. At least sit TMac through the end of the year, he's clearly hobbled. We went what 18-22 or something last year at the start and still finished only a few games out of first, no reason this can;'t be duplicated in a weaker west this year.

Originally posted by TX9R:
I actually think Skip is a good passer when he's not jacking up 3s. I think Battier coming back and moving Artest to the bench will really make a difference. I doubt we can land the type of PG you talk about, there just aren't many around. At least sit TMac through the end of the year, he's clearly hobbled. We went what 18-22 or something last year at the start and still finished only a few games out of first, no reason this can;'t be duplicated in a weaker west this year.

Yea and it took an incredible 22 game win streak to bail them out. If they win just 66% of those games (15-7) They are tied for the 8th and last playoff spot.