Houston Rockets preview by Austin Kent
1. What can the Rockets learn from the 2006-07 season to help them improve their 2007-08 campaign?
Once again, the curse of Tracy McGrady has become a frightening reality. Far too many times McGrady has seen his team either not qualify, or flame out immediately after making the playoffs. This past spring the Rockets lost their grip on a 3-2 series lead, and missed an optimistic chance of taking on the 8th seeded Golden State Warriors in the quarterfinals, a series they very likely could have won. The Rockets have proven that they are a talented team, and they're better this year than last.
With one of, if not, the best duos in the league, Houston won 52 games last season. They've proven that even without Yao Ming they can hold on to a solid record (22-12 in 34 games). All they need to do now is break down and conquer whatever is preventing them from going to that next level, that mental roadblock firmly planted in their All-Star shooting guard's brain. Five years ago general NBA fans may have found it amusing that the confident McGrady had never made it to the second round, but nowadays, 10 years into an otherwise extremely successful career, fans watching the Houston Rockets will cringe and hold their breath until the monkey is off T-Mac's back.
2. What was the Rockets' best and/or worst move during the off-season, either by free agency, trade, or draft?
Under the guidance of new general manager Daryl Morey, the Rockets have pieced together a very respectful offseason. In Billy Beane-esque fashion the Rockets sought out and acquired a number of assets that, despite not being at their prime value, can still play the game. Steve Francis, Mike James, and Luis Scola are three basketball players who have proven with Houston, the Toronto Raptors, and in international competition, respectively, that they can help out a franchise, and will do just that in 2007-08.
It's hard to choose which parituclar transaction will serve to be the most successful for the Rockets, but none will be as influential as the refreshing decision to bring in Morey to lead the way. Worst move of the offseason? Rafer Alston pulling a Solid Snake at a Manhattan night club.
3. Who is the Most Important Player on the Rockets? The MIP is not necessarily the most talented, but the one that makes the biggest difference in his team doing well each game.
The most important player on the Rockets is arguably the most important player in the league. Ushering in a new era of international appeal, Yao Ming does more for NBA marketing in one night than Anucha Browne Sanders could do in a year and then some. Before Yao's arrival in Houston, can you even remember what it was like to be a Rockets fan? Here's a reminder, Cuttino Mobley. The surprisingly mobile Chinese giant is unlike anything the league has ever seen, and without him the Rockets are eerily similar to the other Tracy McGrady-led franchises of the past.
4. What needs to go right for the Rockets to succeed this coming season?
For the Rockets to be successful they have to stay healthy. Between their two best players, Houston missed 43 games last season. For a team looking to snatch homecourt advantage in the Western Conference, the Rockets are going to have to have all of their best players on the floor as often as possible.
Another thing the Rockets will need in order to win games, is have their new guys come in and gel with last year's squad. Both Mike James and Steve Francis have played in Houston before, which could help ease the transition, but could also make defining their new roles difficult. Neither will be relied on as much this year as they were in the past.
The last thing the Rockets need to do, and that I touched on earlier, is secure home court advantage. The only way to get Tracy McGrady through to the second round is to put him in a position where he has no choice but to succeed. If the Rockets can become the obvious favorite in their first round matchup, then T-Mac doesn't have to worry about that damn monkey on his back for the rest of his career.
5. Who are the contenders for the NBA Championship and who do you see taking the title?
There really is no reason to say anybody other than the San Antonio Spurs . After watching them win four championships in the last 10 years I can admit it, they're good. Now I want to see how far they can go before they start to fall apart.
Who are the contenders for the NBA Championship and whom do you see taking the title?
The Spurs are one of the many contenders. They haven’t been able to win back-to-back championships yet, but that could change this season. However, the Dallas Mavericks will be a huge test for San Antonio if the two teams play in the postseason. The Mavs beat the Spurs in the 2006 playoffs and San Antonio still hasn’t found anyone who can consistently defend Dirk Nowitzki well over the course of a series.The Phoenix Suns will also be very good this season. The Suns played the Spurs closer than anyone else in last year’s playoffs. And with the addition of Grant Hill, they have a chance to be even better this year. Other teams in the Western Conference that should contend are the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and Denver Nuggets.
In the Eastern Conference, the three main teams should be the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons. While injuries will probably play a part in which teams are able to make a strong push in the playoffs, I expect the Spurs to be right there at the end. If San Antonio can stay away from the injury bug and if their age doesn’t slow them down too much, I expect the Spurs to compete against and defeat the Detroit Pistons in the championship round.
SOUTHWEST DIVISION TEAM PREVIEWS
- Dallas Mavericks, Wes Cox - Mavs Moneyball
- Houston Rockets, Austin Kent - Hoops Addict
- Memphis Grizzlies, Ryan McNeill - Hoops Addict
- New Orleans Hornets, Ron Hitley - Hornets247.com
- San Antonio Spurs, Kori Ellis - About San Antonio
COMPLETE DIVISION TEAM PREVIEWS
