Predicting the 2009 Season in August

The 2008/09 NBA Schedule for the Rockets has been out for a few weeks now. We've already noted that the schedule makers did not do the Rockets any early-season favors (yeah, F-U schedule makers!). Of course, the Rockets do have a cakewalk February if they can focus and take care of business against inferior teams.

In addition, Lee and I have been somewhat successful in predicting things on this here blog. Or do we need to remind you that Lee himself did, in fact, predict that a very long winning streak was coming. That winning streak ended up being 22 games if you've forgotten about that already...

Since we are playing with house money in the prediction department, why not try to predict the entire 2009 regular season? I shall do my best to be objective. Let us begin:

Wed, Oct 29, v. Memphis - W
(we aren't losing to the overmatched Grizz on opening night.
No freakin' way.)

Thu, Oct 30, @ Dallas - L
(the first "screw you, Rockets" by the schedulers.
2nd part of a back-to-back and on the road.)

Sat, Nov 1, v. Durants - W

Tue, Nov 4, v. Boston - L
(early matchup against the Champs, uh oh)

Thur, Nov 6, @ Portland - W
(Yao > Oden)

Fri, Nov 7, @ Clippers - W
(no Elton, no team)

Sun, Nov 9, @ Lakers - W
(Kobe's first taste of Artest + Battier)

Wed, Nov 12, @ Phoenix - W
(Yao > the Fat Ass)

Fri, Nov 14, @ San Antonio - L
(last of 5 straight road games. Not fair.)

Sat, Nov 15, v. New Orleans - W
(we match up well against the CP3s)

Mon, Nov 17, @ Durants - W
(too young to beat us... at this point)

Wed, Nov 19, v. Dallas - W
(Jason Kidd kinda sucks)

Fri, Nov 21, @ Washington - W
(I like Agent Zero a lot, but... no.)

Sat, Nov 22, @ Orlando - L
(I sense a trap/let-down game)

Mon, Nov 24, @ Miami - W
(Flash or no Flash, they aren't very good)

Wed, Nov 26, v. Indiana - W

Sat, Nov 29, v. San Antonio - W
(yeah, I'm calling it a win here. I just am.)

Sun, Nov 30, @ Denver - L
(gotta fly to Denver for back-to-back? Ouch.)

Wed, Dec 3, v. Clippers - W
(sorry, I just don't see the Clips competing)

Fri, Dec 5, v. Golden State - W
(just a hunch, we'll take 'em at home)

Mon, Dec 8, @ Memphis - W
(Memphis still sucks. And probably will for a while.)

Tue, Dec 9, v. Atlanta - W
(if we lose this game, I will be very, very angry.)

Fri, Dec 12, @ Golden State - L
(the game where G.S. gets even...)

Sat, Dec 13, @ Clippers - W
(look, I'm not ever going to pick the Clips to beat us.)

Tue, Dec 16, v. Denver - W
(Denver has only gotten worse this offseason.)

Fri, Dec 19, v. Sacramento - W
(Crazy Pills won't let us lose this one)

Sat, Dec 20, @ Minnesota - W
(Minnesota sucks, too - but the new unis are cool.)

Mon, Dec 22, @ New Jersey - W
(I am not scared of Vince Carter)

Tue, Dec 23, @ Cleveland - L
(I am kinda scared of LeBron)

Fri, Dec 26, @ New Orleans - L
(this is not a very nice x-mas gift to the Rockets.)

Sat, Dec 27, v. Utah - W
(F-U, Utah! We are winning this game!)

Mon, Dec 29, v. Washington - W
(Agent Zero will need to score 60. He won't.)

Wed, Dec 31, v. Milwaukee - W
(Didn't Milwaukee trade their whole team?)

Fri, Jan 2, @ Toronto - L
(post-New Year's trap game...
Joey Dorsey + Canadian strip clubs could be scary.)

Sat, Jan 3, @ Atlanta - L
(hangover, part 2 - long trip and back-to-back)

Tue, Jan 6, @ Philly - W
(where we wake up but are sick of playing on the road)

Wed, Jan 7, @ Boston - L
(this road trip got ugly fast)

Fri, Jan 9, @ Durants - W
(we love KD here, but... not happening.)

Sat, Jan 10, v. Knicks - W
(New York can't even hope to contain Yao)

Tue, Jan 13, v. LA Lakers - W
(again, Artest + Battier > Kobe)

Sat, Jan 17, v. Miami - W
(not losing to Miami. Certainly not at home.)

Mon, Jan 19, v. Denver - L
(I sense another let-down game here...)

Wed, Jan 21, v. Utah - W
(... because we are thinking ahead to Utah)

Fri, Jan 23, @ Indiana - W
(Indiana is a sinking ship... and Artest will kill 'em)

Sun, Jan 25, @ Detroit - L
(for some reason, we never play well at Detroit)

Mon, Jan 26, @ NY Knicks - W
(Yao loves the Garden. Many dunks ahead.)

Wed, Jan 28, v. Philly - W
(to make up for last year's Philly Debacle)

Sat, Jan 31, v. Golden State - L
(a high-scoring game??)

Tue, Feb 3, v. Chicago - W
(the Undefeated February begins)

Wed, Feb 4, @ Memphis - W
(it's still only Memphis)

Sat, Feb 7, v. Minnesota - W
(I told you February was easy)

Mon, Feb 9, @ Milwaukee - W
(easy road game. Or should be...)

Wed, Feb 11, v. Sacramento - W
(Ron Ron won't let us lose to Kings. No way.)

Tue, Feb 17 v. New Jersey - W
(return from All Star break with easy victory.)

Fri, Feb 20, v. Dallas - W
(J-Kidd only getting older by the day.)

Sun, Feb 22, v. Charlotte - W
(Bobcats getting better, but still kinda shitty.)

Tue, Feb 24, v. Portland - W
(first trip to Houston for Oden)

Thur, Feb 26, v. Cleveland - W
(we own the LeBrons at home)

Sat, Feb 28, v. Chicago - W
(if for no other reason than to stay unbeaten in Feb.)

Sun, Mar 1, @ Minnesota - W
(OJ Mayo is not stopping the Streak, part II)

Tue, Mar 3, v. Toronto - L
(trapped again in looking ahead to Utah...)

Wed, Mar 4, @ Utah - W
(Utah sucks. Or maybe I just hate 'em.)

Fri, Mar 6, v. Phoenix - L
(another let-down game... I hate the Fat Ass still.)

Sun, Mar 8 v. Memphis - W
(Kevin Love is not going to beat us)

Mon, Mar 9, @ Denver - W
(making the playoff push now)

Wed, Mar 11, v. Lakers - W
(Kobe is going to have nightmares about this game.)

Fri, Mar 13, @ Charlotte - L
(I sense a bad, bad game here... but that's okay)

Sat, Mar 14, v. San Antonio - W
(because this will make up for it)

Mon, Mar 16, @ New Orleans - L
(dammit.)

Wed, Mar 18, v. Detroit - W
(Detroit will be at end of disappointing season)

Fri, Mar 20, v. Minnesota - W
(Rockets just keep winning)

Sun, Mar 22, @ San Antonio - L
(damned schedule makers!!!)

Tue, Mar 24, @ Utah - W
(if you ever think I predict a Utah "W"...
you clearly haven't been paying attention)

Sat, Mar 28, v. Clippers - W
(come on, it's still the Clippers)

Wed, Apr 1, @ Phoenix - L
(April Fool's Shaq - you're still a f--king joke!)

Fri, Apr 3, @ LA Lakers - W
(Kobe steals one at home)

Sun, Apr 5, v. Portland - L
(Oden is kinda good... and not really a rookie)

Tue, Apr 7, v. Orlando - W
(Rashard comes home, Rockets disappoint him again.)

Thu, Apr 9, @ Sacramento - W
(if Artest plays here... we win. That simple.)

Fri, Apr 10, @ Golden State - L
(damn back-to-back games!!)

Mon, Apr 13, v. New Orleans - W
(I still maintain we match up well.)

Wed, Apr 15, @ Dallas - L
(Rockets will have a top seed locked-up by now)

Final Regular season standings??
Houston Rockets: 59-23 (projected)

I'll take that... we'd have home court again, at the very least!

I did not see it, but I know it wasn't pretty

Well, I didn't get to watch the game last night, so can we pretend it didn't happen? That's two losses in a row. Unfortunately some are acting like losses on a back to back means that we didn't win 22 in a row, and that we aren't still in the top 3 teams in the West record wise. We've played poorly in two straight second halves, but let me remind you that we were tied at halftime of the Celtics game and were winning by 5 at halftime of the Hornets game. All is surely not lost.

Newsflash for everyone out there: The Rockets are still good, but so are the Celtics and Hornets. Oh, and we beat this Hornets team twice during the streak. The series is tied for the season at 2-2, so it's far from a disaster that the Rockets lost. It was only a matter of time before we lost a few, in fact the Bucks lost 3 of 4 after their 20 losses and the Lakers 2 of 4 after their 33, I'm betting no one came crashing down on them after their losses.

The last two games to me have been a problem for three reasons: 1. Somehow our 28 year old superstar is tired in March 2. Rafer reverted back to being Rafer 3. We still don't have Carl Landry. Scola has been great, Shane's D has been good even if he hasn't been knocking down as many shots, and Dikembe has been pretty good as well. The shooting has to improve from the outside, but it's not always going to be great like it was during the streak.

Bottom Line for me: We need Carl Landry and his energy back and Tracy needs to suck it up and deal with being "tired" for 20 million dollars. Oh, and Rafer needs to stop talking trash while he is playing this poorly.

Here's my prediction for the rest of the season: