NBA Season Preview: Rockets

Mark Rawden, and his associates over at Examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com), are running their own NBA Season Preview for each team in the NBA prior to the beginning of the regular season. Here's a look at the the 2009-10 Houston Rockets, and a Q&A with Examiner Fred Faour: (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m10d4-NBA-Season-Preview-QA-with-Houston-Sports-Examiner-Fred-Faour) What are your thoughts about the Rockets as the season approaches? How do you feel about their playoff/title chances? Fred Faour: IF Yao Ming somehow comes back, and IF Tracy McGrady returns to his very best, and IF they acquire another player...they might be in the mix in the West. But Yao won't be back, McGrady might come back but he won't be healthy.They have enough talent and are coached well enough to maybe sneak into the final playoff spot. GM Daryl Morey will make a move at some point to add another impact player. They will be good -- playoff good -- but they are nowhere near a title at this point.Do you feel that holes in the roster still need to be addressed, and if so, can they be addressed?FF: Yes, they need to be addressed. They need a consistent scorer. Right now, there is no telling where the offense comes from. They can't realistically count on McGrady.Expect Morey to be patient, and wait for a team that can't sign one of its superstars to deal for McGrady's expiring contract.How do you feel that they compare with the Celtics, and the rest of the NBA?FF: As now constructed, they are a fringe playoff team. Even with McGrady, they are barely that. But they will give a good accounting of themselves. Picture the Celtics without both Garnett AND Pierce, and that would be the Rockets right now. Competitive, still some nice players, but not much without the stars.If the Celtics and Rockets make the Finals, how would you think the Rockets should attack Boston in a 7-game series?To read the rest of Mark's Q&A, click here. (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m10d4-NBA-Season-Preview-QA-with-Houston-Sports-Examiner-Fred-Faour)