The Rockets Will Be An Elite Team Next Year, IMO

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Houston plays an even tougher version of the offense Dwight doesn't like....

Dwight wants his touches in the post. LA did not give that to him. Houston offers it far less.

Admittedly, Harden probably is willing to be more of a team player than Kobe, but still...

The Rockets are built to run up and down the court.

Dwight Howard seems the antithesis of that style.

It would require both Harden and Lin to radically shift their style of play....or Dwight to do what he was unwilling in Los Angeles.

I just don't see it.

They will win 52-54 game and be a 4/5 seed tops and maybe be a fringe contender.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

That, or you know, he wanted to be on a competitive team.

He was on a competitive team - He wanted to be in charge and wanted Kobe to step down and made that clear

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Total garbage.

Remember the sign and trade chatter to the Clippers?
You don't think Howard would have played there?

He didn't want to play with Kobe. He didn't want to play for Dantoni.

He wanted to play with a team he felt could compete from day 1 and see a vision for the future.

The Lakers couldn't/ didn't offer that.

The Lakers offered all of that, they had the players who won two back to back championships and went to the finals three years in a row. Every player in the NBA knows that should be a good formula for making another title run. Dwight was not 100% and he was too much fun and games to be serious on the court. We will see, but I don't see Houston as a title contender

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The Lakers offered all of that, they had the players who won two back to back championships and went to the finals three years in a row. Every player in the NBA knows that should be a good formula for making another title run. Dwight was not 100% and he was too much fun and games to be serious on the court. We will see, but I don't see Houston as a title contender

This isn't Back To The Future. He wasn't offered a chance to play with the '08-'09 Lakers.

His choice was a few more years of uncertainty having to play with Kobe coming off surgery or play with Harden and a roster full of young upcoming players.

Howard/Harden > Kobe/ Gasol.

Then, show me where the Lakers are better at any position, starter or bench then the Rockets.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

This isn't Back To The Future. He wasn't offered a chance to play with the '08-'09 Lakers.

His choice was a few more years of uncertainty having to play with Kobe coming off surgery or play with Harden and a roster full of young upcoming players.

Howard/Harden > Kobe/ Gasol.

Then, show me where the Lakers are better at any position, starter or bench then the Rockets.

They had two of the best players in the NBA which is more then what he has now in Houston.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

The Seeding for the standings in 2014

1. Oklahoma Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Golden State Warriors
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Houston Rockets

Houston at the best will be 5th or 4th seed if they get lucky

 

[True Lakers Fan]

This sums it up. He didn't want to play with Kobe or deal with Dantoni's offense.

D'antonio couldn't be that bad of a coach since he helped the USA win a Gold Medal - Just saying

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Just wondering if the picture of Hurricane is a picture of him after his sex change operation?

 

[geneh_33]

How about what Dwight himself said he wanted:

He stated that he wanted to play for a YOUNG, TALENTED team that was COMPETITIVE enough to win a title. That's about it, really. The Lakers didn't fit the bill, obviously.

It's time to just move on.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

The Seeding for the standings in 2014

1. Oklahoma Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Golden State Warriors
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Houston Rockets

Houston at the best will be 5th or 4th seed if they get lucky

Lakers playoffs

 

[Perpetual_Beast_Mode]

The Seeding for the standings in 2014

1. Oklahoma Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Golden State Warriors
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Houston Rockets

Houston at the best will be 5th or 4th seed if they get lucky

I don't know, I think that San Antonio jumps ahead of OKC because of OKC losing Kevin Martin in free agency. Martin wasn't a superstar but he did average 14 points and about two three pointers per game. Some analysts say that the threat of Martin's threes opened up more room for Durant and Westbrook to operate on offense. I think the Thunder will still be a great team, but San Antonio finished barely behind OKC last year and I think that the loss of Martin might be enough for San Antonio to leap-frog OKC.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The Seeding for the standings in 2014

1. Oklahoma Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Golden State Warriors
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Houston Rockets

Houston at the best will be 5th or 4th seed if they get lucky

Lakers are NOT finishing the season seeded higher then the Rockets.

And did you forget about Denver?

Dallas falls next in line for the 8 seed.

Put the Lakers on the same chance level with the Pelicans and T Wolves to battle for 9-11.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

No experience doesn't usually = championships. Houston will not be a contender this year.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

It won't be that hard for the Lakers to make the playoffs if they win the games they are supposed to do. They don't even have to beat the best teams to make it

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Lakers are NOT finishing the season seeded higher then the Rockets.

And did you forget about Denver?

Dallas falls next in line for the 8 seed.

Put the Lakers on the same chance level with the Pelicans and T Wolves to battle for 9-11.

Thats my point - then you have The Denver Thugs And the Dallas Mavericks - there is no way in hell that this Houston Team is going to be an easy contender. If Houston was in the Eastern Conference, they would be a third seed easily

 

[BOTSLAYER]

No experience doesn't usually = championships. Houston will not be a contender this year.

Maybe not a "true" contender but they are up there. Like a Nets.

It won't be that hard for the Lakers to make the playoffs if they win the games they are supposed to do. They don't even have to beat the best teams to make it

You clearly have a much higher opinion of the games they are supposed to win. If I have them winning all the games they are supposed to win and half the games they shouldn't I have them at 41 wins for the season per my statistical program calculating these things.

 

[Heatles84]

Thats my point - then you have The Denver Thugs And the Dallas Mavericks - there is no way in hell that this Houston Team is going to be an easy contender. If Houston was in the Eastern Conference, they would be a fourth seed easily

FIFY

They're not better than Miami, Chicago or Indiana.

 

[bksballer89]

Thats my point - then you have The Denver Thugs And the Dallas Mavericks - there is no way in hell that this Houston Team is going to be an easy contender. If Houston was in the Eastern Conference, they would be a third seed easily

I'm not sure about that. I think they would be fighting for seeds 4-6 with Brooklyn and New York/Indiana

I know they're not better than Miami or Chicago (with Rose) and I'm pretty sure their not better than Indy considering how crappy of a defensive team they are.

I honestly think if they played in the east they would be a 5th seed just in front of the Knicks.

 

[bksballer89]

I don't care what anyone says, the top 4/5 in the east are close to being on the same level as the top 4/5 in the west. The West major advantage over the east will come in middle of the pack so from like 6-10 is when the west have the significant advantage but the top/bottom of the conferences are just about even.

Miami>San Antonio

Chicago (with Rose) > OKC

LAC>Indy

Brooklyn=Houston

GSW/MEM> NYK

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I'm not sure about that. I think they would be fighting for seeds 4-6 with Brooklyn and New York/Indiana

I know they're not better than Miami or Chicago (with Rose) and I'm pretty sure their not better than Indy considering how crappy of a defensive team they are.

I honestly think if they played in the east they would be a 5th seed just in front of the Knicks.

I was trying to give them some benefit of the doubt, but it does appear that even I have over-rated them. If Howard is healthy, however and develops a good team chemistry with Hardin, they could be a pretty good duo though and somehow I think Hardin is the one with the brains to make it work. After seeing Howard play for the Lakers for an entire year, I was not impressed as I was when he was in Orlando and easily I would prefer a healthy Andrew Bynum over a healthy Dwight Howard. I have to admit Shaq Oneal was right on that one as well