GO SHARKS!
When the Rockets lost to the Western Conference worst Minnesota Timberwolves at home a few games before the All-Star break, it isn’t hard to imagine Les Alexander and the powers that be saying “Trade for Carmelo or blow up the season.”
And here we are. Carmelo went for the bright lights and the contract in NYC. A Rockets defense that sucks mightily (ranked 24th overall) just traded their defensive stopper for a project center and a draft pick. That Shane Battier’s contract was up at the end of the year and the Rox may have ended up with nothing if they had held onto to him until then is small consoliation. Best of luck to a class act, wish he would have went to a contender.
Brooks was toast as soon as he chose to walk off the court that day, and his contract was expiring as well. Perhaps with these two contracts, Yao’s and the draft picks, there will be something exciting in Rocket’s basketball next year.
The Rockets had an outside (okay, I’m being optimistic) shot at reaching the 8th seed in the playoffs, mainly due to Utah and Denver submarining themselves with trades. But they are four games out with Phoenix and Memphis also between them and the playoffs. And by throwing the towel in, they save me from the humilation of watching my ex-hometown Spurs annihilate them (the Spurs were my team when I was there, with the Ice Man, Larry Kenon, Artis Gilmore, the Whopper, etc….but not after I drank from the fountain of The Dream!). The remainder of the team is not Clutch City, they would stand little chance against the rejuvenated Spurs.
So, thanks in large part to Yao Ming’s feet not being built like Shaq’s (how does Shaq survive for so long?), I’ll just be glad that the San Jose Sharks rebounded from a poor first half, just in time for another wild ride at the playoffs.
GO SHARKS!
With the Rockets win over Portland combined with the Spurs loss (stomping) at Cleveland, the Rox are now 1/2 game out of the Southwest Division lead. The New Orleans Hornets loss at home to Utah gives the Rockets a 1.5 game cushion over the 3rd place Hornets, with Dallas three games behind the Rockets.
A quick look at the remaining games in the schedule shows the Rockets with an excellent chance to win the division: (more…)
Like most Rocket’s fans, I’ve spent the majority of this first half of the season waiting for the “real” Rockets team to show up. With injuries to T-Mac, Artest, Battier, Rafer, Yao and Luther Head, the Rockets have employed 15 different starting lineups.
But with my first Rockets post of the 08-09 season, I’m predicting that the Rockets are going to rattle off ten wins in a row…at least.
Even though they will have to start the streak anew, after giving the 2nd game of a back to back without Yao to the Knicks (after being up by nine, T-Mac (2o pts) and Artest (11 pts) ran out of gas their 2nd game back in the lineup), it looks like everything is lining up in their favor. (more…)
Hakeem Olajuwon played 17 seasons for the Houston Rockets, and one season at the end of his career for the Toronto Raptors. After averaging over 21.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots per game and winning two NBA championships with the Rockets, Hakeem’s final season with the Raptors was forgetable, averaging just 7.1, 6 and 1.5 respectively.
Emmitt Smith played 13 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, winning two Super Bowls and then played two forgetable seasons with the Arizona Cardinals…but he did win Dancing with the Stars.
Brett Favre, after one season with Atlanta, played 16 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, winning a Super Bowl and multiple MVPs… and is now headed for one season with the New York Jets.
Granted, Brett is coming off a near MVP and near Super Bowl season…but the parallels remain.
All three players should have stayed with and retired with their respective career teams. In each of these situations, fans can find fault with aging veterans who probably should have retired, or with management who viewed the situations with too much of a business lens instead of with an eye on history. Sadly, it’s becoming more and more rare for star players not to stay with the one team where they made their name (and while I’m thinking about it, kudos to Biggio and Bagwell of the Astros for spending their entire career in Houston).
Either way, good luck Brett, and Go Pack!
Another playoff appearance, another first round knock out. For those of us (including 
yours truly plus spousal unit) who were at the two Rocket’s NBA Championship series of not too long ago, instead of having confidence going into each season that we can at least compete for the top, we are getting trained in the habit of early exits, thoughts of what might have been and what changes should be made.
Thoughts of what might have been are not productive, as they always mean discussing injuries (Yao and Rafer), bad trades and signings (Mike James, Steve Francis) and bad luck.
Inevitably, there is the “trade Yao” or “trade McGrady” conversation that comes around. My two cents is below, the overriding opinion being: the Rocks have and always have needed a decent third scoring option, and a “microwave” off the bench. Luis Scola may end up being #3, but they still need a dependable bench scorer or two: (more…)
Normally, I don’t fall for them, I inflict them. My wife and I had our combined bachelor/bachelorette party on April 1st, and some people didn’t show because they thought we were joking (we weren’t….at least I wasn’t, my wife some days reserves judgment).
But this year: Hakeem’s return and The Legend of Zelda…both nailed me (and my son, for the second one). (more…)
Hall of fame recently and statue honoring his career dedicated today.
And impeccable taste in hardware.
After the break is a video of my favorite Hakeem moment (and, as we had season tickets through his entire Houston career, there were many): taking David Robinson to school on the day the Admiral (or the Seaman as we called him in Hou) won the league MVP.
(more…)
Following today’s 109-88 mauling by the Spurs, the Rocks are 3-4 following their record setting 22 game winning streak.
There’s not much to speak about today’s game: Scola and Landry showed why there is still hope for the Rockets; T-Mac’s shoulder and Rafer’s reversion to poor shooting showed why there is worry. (more…)
1st place in the Western Conference must feel good, but how they got there, with many people playing a part, must make them feel even better. Lakers down, Celtics next up in Tuesday night (after playing in SA on Monday night).
Watch the ESPN highlights for a nice graphic of Shane Battier’s hand in Kobe’s face…on almost every shot. And a nice 4th quarter block of a Kobe jumper. (Fran Blinebury from the Houston Chronicle has a nice shout out to Shane on the work he does every night).
T-Mac gets zero points in the first half but the Rockets still lead by 15.
Rafer Alston cements himself into the elite point guards of this season with trey after trey after trey.
And Bobby Jackson, whom I and many others were about to dismiss and start a “play Aaron Brooks more” campaign, finally shows why Adelman traded for him.
Playoff season is looking better and better.
We are still not sure which was better:
- Mutumbo getting 5 blocks + finger wagging opportunities….all in the first half (bless
his 41 year old body);
- Richard Jefferson of the Nets dunking on Mutumbo, trying to wag his finger at Deke, and getting T’d up for taunting (yes, we know Deke is protected by a double standard, and we like that);
- Novak the designated three point shooter draining a few 3’s;
- T-Mac having only 2 points for a long time, then moments later he has 19 and can sit out Q4;
- Rice University grad Mike Harris making the most of his playing time with some hustle plays;
- Carl Landry, the rooking Harris is replacing, looking sharp in a suit on the bench (resting up for the Lakers this weekend).
(more…)
