Houston Rockets Betting Odds – NBA Basketball Futures – Gambling Picks
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Houston Rockets
Sportsbook.com Rockets Odds to win NBA title – 42/1
Key players added – Brad Miller, Courtney Lee
Key players lost – Trevor Ariza
We haven’t seen much of Yao Ming since he torn up an ankle in the latter stages of the 2008-09 season, but early reports indicate that Yao is moving around pretty well in the preseason and perhaps more importantly he is still 7-foot-6. Much of what the Rockets do (or don’t) accomplish this season centers around the big center.
They did ok (42-40) last season without him, but if the big guy can’t play most of this season – always difficult, considering his injury history – Houston will trudge back to the lottery.
Forty times the Rockets were beaten last season, but they hardly ever were outworked.
And the hustle was symbolized by point guard Aaron Brooks, who was voted the league’s most improved player last year, partly because he led the league in 3-pointers made, with 209.
If Yao is back and the Rockets have a post game again, Brooks’s numbers should only go up.
Houston got high-scoring 2-guard Kevin Martin from Sacramento late in the season, and he put up numbers similar to those posted in Sacramento – 19.7 ppg, and not a lot of rebounds or assists or steals.
Courtney Lee, who can play both guard spots, came over from New Jersey is a trade for Trevor Ariza.
Energizer bunny Luis Scola will start at one forward, opposite Shane Battier at the 4. Brad Miller, a 3-point-shooting big, should help stretch the floor and give Yao some room to operate in the post.
Surprising stat: Without Yao in the lineup, Houston’s defense fell from 7th in the league in 2008-90 (94.4 points allowed per game) to 22nd last season (102.7 allowed)
Strengths: Yao, assuming he can remain healthy for most of the season. He’s the ticket to the playoffs and there is really no Plan B.
Weaknesses: Depth, especially along the front line, is a concern. Ariza was limited, but they’ll miss his belly-to-belly defense. Judging from exhibition video, Yao is not spending a lot of time with his back to the basket.
Playoffs? Tough to envision any scenario that gets these guys to a 7th or 8th seed. Who would they supplant? Phoenix? Dallas? San Antonio?
Win total projection for 2010-11: 46
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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel writer from Massachusetts.
