Tough break for the Rockets. Yao is out for the season with a stress fracture in his foot. This team was really turning it on. Seems like the last few years they always get on a roll, and then Yao or Tracy goes down for an extended period of time.

Definitely a tough break, and I know they are really hot, but I never really saw them competing seriously for a championship.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Agree with FF...I actually agree with Bill Simmons' column from the other day where he basically says to compete in the West you have to have a great PG, or at least someone like Kobe would can break down defenses consistently.. The Rockets have Rafer Alston. Come playoff time you know they'd be getting torched by Deron Williams, CP3, Baron, etc. I know McGrady can slash but I don't think he's as effective as he used to be

Also, huge loss for my fantasy team

Yeah the PG battle come playoff time will be crazy. Kidd, Baron, Nash, CP, Deron Williams... It's absolutely incredible the talent in that group.

As a side note... I think the Kidd trade is working out in Dallas. I know they've beat a bunch of bums lately, but the team is learning to run with him now. Some of his outlet passes to Terry that stretch 45 feet or so are incredibly fun to watch. He seems to be playing with an enthusiasm he definitely didnt have in Jersey. Obviously its still a ways to go before April, but I think they might have a more legit chance then I originally thought at title this year.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Also as a side note, all the talk about there being a 50 win team that won't make the playoffs? It's certainly well within reason the Rockets won't make the playoffs now. I can't see McGrady leading this bunch essentially by himself

Yeah itll be tough.. I think they can still go 14-12 the rest of the way without Yao, which would give them 50 and a shot at the playoffs. The key is they will need to show up every night, and beat the teams they should beat like Charlotte, Memphis, etc.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

Yeah it's not totally out of the question, but it's going to be tough. I don't see how a team with basically just McGrady is going to win in the West now.

Also as a further side note not totally off-topic, I can't see how a Miami team with Wade and Marion can be so bad. Even with just Wade. Here we are talking about how just McGrady could possibly go 14-12, and Miami is in a weaker conference getting abused.

It's ok. They still have Carl Landry.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Yeah but thats one of the main problems with the NBA the last two months of the season. When Kid and I saw them a couple weeks ago at the UC they looked like they were completely mailing in the game. Too many bad outside shots, no hustle boards, no driving inside, no taking hard fouls. I wouldnt be surprised if they were told something along the lines of "Dont worry about the rest of the season, its lost, we could use a player like Michael Beasley, just dont get seriously injured."

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

And Mt. Mutombo

Good call Nas. I actually tuned into the Washington/Houston game for a bit in the first half thanks to Baku, and Deke has definitely impacted the game inside in his limited minutes. Great overall team effort on defense and ball movement, Houston is up 41-18 with a couple minutes left in the 2nd quarter.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul