Houston, you will have problems.

[Dal-Las Mav'a Riq]

Yes they got Francis. Yes they have trading pieces to get a PF (rumour is Head for Foster). Let's look at their line-up

Yao/Mutombo/Butler
Foster/Scola/Hayes
Battier
McGrady/Wells
Francis/James/Alston/Brooks

Looks great, but there are so many question marks.

-Most obviously, the PG situation. Too many of them and none that know how to play the role effectively. Both James and Francis need the ball to be effective. BUt Yao and T-Mac will have it most of the time.

-Their frontline is as brittle as anyone's and it lacks depth. In my line-up, I have made some assumptions. Foster might not be traded for. Mutombo and Hayes are free agents and might not resign. And Scola has not played an NBA game. Remember that Jasikevicious was supposedly a sure thing. Yao always gets injuries, Butler is rubbish and Hayes usually fouls out in 20 minutes. So the above line-up is the best case scenario and it still might not get the job done

-Bonzi, the 3rd most talented player on the roster but who knows what to expect out of him. He's in a contract year and reunited with the coach who he put up 24/12 for in the playoffs, but he simply cannot be relied upon.

-Adelman. How will he fit in? This has been a team moulded for defense and he may come in and do a 180 flip on that. People think he ran an uptempo team in Sac, not quite true from what I remember (Stiffy/Bresh can talk about it more. They slowed it down later on but ran very efficient offensive half court sets. Yao and McGrady are both solid passers, but can they adapt to the offense? I think they will, but they need to prove it.

But I think they are potential champions if all these things fall into place

 

[jo172]

Someone's upset that they are now the official worst team in Texas.

 

[Dal-Las Mav'a Riq]

Someone's upset that they are now the official worst team in Texas.

Where was it made official?

 

[Thewlis Dish]

They have the best coach ever in Adelman though...

I will say a first round exit in a season that doesn't live up to preseason expectation, again.

 

[eathb]

They WON'T be a top 4 seed, maybe 5th or 6th.

 

[jerry springer]

It all comes down to injuries,with T-Mac,Yao,Wells and now Francis they have 4 of the most injury prone players in the NBA on one roster.

If and its a big if, they can can play some games together injury-free they look to be the most talented team in the NBA barring Phoenix.

Adelman isnt a mug coach either.Players prefer to play up-tempo basketball

 

[jerry springer]

Where was it made official?

when they choked against Golden State

 

[Dal-Las Mav'a Riq]

when they choked against Golden State

That's fantastic, but Houston didn't make it past the first round either.

 

[jerry springer]

Jokes aside,they have a chance to go all the way,but I think they will only get as far as the WCF and lose to either Dallas or Phoenix who both have more Finals experience and will probably be a bit more hungrier and desperate.

Looking at that roster, off the top off my head I cant see any players in that group who have been deep into the play-offs, so although I think they can win 1 to 2 play-off series they wont win it all this season.You need a lot of things to go right and a lot of experience as a team and that is the one thing they are lacking.

 

[WakeUpPies]

crap, i hope he doesn't go all selfish, tmac and yao are both way better than him, but i got a feeling his going to ball hog

now brooks won't get a turn as well

dammit houston, wtf

 

[Cameron_K]

They WON'T be a top 4 seed, maybe 5th or 6th.

Yet they were this year with Yao missing games.

 

[Cameron_K]

crap, i hope he doesn't go all selfish, tmac and yao are both way better than him, but i got a feeling his going to ball hog

now brooks won't get a turn as well

dammit houston, wtf

From all reports Steve spoke to Rick and several players before deciding on Houston, he knows what his role will be and I have no doubt he will perform well. People have to remember, last time Steve was in Houston the team had no one, he was asked by Rudy to hold the ball and Rudy was actually telling him to shoot more than he was.

The biggest problem houston had this year was lack of offense when Yao and T-Mac were resting on injured. Morey has now signed James and Francis who are both offensively minded players and added Scola who many consider to be one of the best players not in the NBA at the current time and his strength is on offense. Last year Houston was a team with 2 main options and you would pray someone like Battier or Head would have a good night. Now they have so many more peices to play with and I have no doubt in the world Rick will put them in the right positions to succeed.

 

[eathb]

Yet they were this year with Yao missing games.

They were 5th.

 

[Cameron_K]

They were 5th.

They were 4th seed leading into the playoffs and had home court.

Utah won game 7 in HOUSTON.

 

[apollo_creed]

Yao is shit.

Everyone knows this. Boring ****ing robot.

ooh look at me and my vast array of attacking moves, i'm a ****ing machine. NO YAO YOU ARE NOT. Trade him for some used rubbers while he still has value.

Steve Francis? hahahaha watch out radioactive man.

Yao? haha. boring.

In other news, Yao lives next door to me and he said he was coming over to play a little play station. all well and good, right? no ****ing way!! that was 3 ****ing hours ago.

how ****ing slow is he?

where the **** is he?

knock knock.

well, it's about ****ing time.

 

[eathb]

But it says Houston (5), and Utah (4)

 

[apollo_creed]

But it says Houston (5), and Utah (4)

AI is like the best point guard.

 

[Cameron_K]

But it says Houston (5), and Utah (4)

Nope Houston secured it in the second last game of the season and had home court. Check where game 7 was played.

 

[Crow-mo]

Adelman isnt a mug coach either.Players prefer to play up-tempo basketball

and Yao can't do that.

 

[Crow-mo]

Yao is shit.

Everyone knows this. Boring ****ing robot.

ooh look at me and my vast array of attacking moves, i'm a ****ing machine. NO YAO YOU ARE NOT. Trade him for some used rubbers while he still has value.

Steve Francis? hahahaha watch out radioactive man.

Yao? haha. boring.

In other news, Yao lives next door to me and he said he was coming over to play a little play station. all well and good, right? no ****ing way!! that was 3 ****ing hours ago.

how ****ing slow is he?

where the **** is he?

knock knock.

well, it's about ****ing time.

more elegantly put than I'd have done, but the message is still the same

 

[Stiffy_18]

and Yao can't do that.

Many thought neither could Vlade

Adlman's system is not a run 'n' gun like in Phoenix, his system is more of a half court offence with a lot of player and ball movement and he does like to push it for transition baskets if the opportunity is there.

Vlade was as slow as snail but he played his best basketball under Adelman. Adelman ran a version of Princeton offence which I think he can also do some of it in Houston.

 

[the_mighty_pies_3733]

But it says Houston (5), and Utah (4)

Utah had fourth seed cause they won their division, but Houston still had a better record therefore got homecourt. Still dosnt excuse their massive choke though.

 

[Dal-Las Mav'a Riq]

Utah had fourth seed cause they won their division, but Houston still had a better record therefore got homecourt. Still dosnt excuse their massive choke though.

How is a 5 seed losing to a 4 seed losing a series 4-3 a choke?

 

[the_mighty_pies_3733]

How is a 5 seed losing to a 4 seed losing a series 4-3 a choke?

When you lead the series 2-0 and then 3-2 and still end up losing game 7 in Houston because you cant rake in defensive rebounds i consider that a choke.

 

[the_mighty_pies_3733]

In any case obviously Houston didnt see this happening as its obvious that signing Francis makes the Mike James-Juwan Howard trade redundant, and will probably work against Houston with their lack of rebounding and surpluss of point guards and shooting guards