No.

Gasol was out for the Lakers today. Let's see how they go over the next four games first: Boston at home and then New Orleans, Golden State and Phoenix all on the road.

Yep, no Gasol vs no Yao. Bigger challenges coming up soon.

Thought this was funny:

Nice game by Skip To My Lou....

TMac quiet. I think a 3 game skid now.

if they reach 31 in a row will people start to give them some cred?

Any team that has a 22 win streak deserves credit. I think it has been an amazing effort regardless of who they have played. But their is a difference between being a title contender and running up a big win streak against mostly mediocre teams (only 4 teams currently in the Western Conference playoffs from memory). I just don't think they will be able to beat many (any??) of the teams in the West playoffs in A SEVEN GAME SERIES.

You guys are out of your minds.

Sure, Gasol has been giving 20 and 10 recently, but Yao was giving 25 and 12.

Odom slots into Gasol's spot, rockets dont really have a backup 5 (Mutumbo is 42yo and plays 15 mins), so Hayes and Battier cover. Houston are playing 25 minutes of small ball a night with Scola (at 6-9) being the tallest guy in red.

So what happens if they beat the Celtics? Still rubbish?

Well, the Celtics might be without Allen, so you never know!

But Gasol will be back for the playoffs and Yao is out for the season. I was discussing the Rockets playoff chances and I still can't see them going past the first round.

A 22 game winning streak is simply amazing in the NBA or any professional sport for that matter.

My only concern is can they compete in the grind it out style of the playoffs. Unfortunately I can see them struggling in a 7 game series. I can't see them getting past the Spurs, Lakers, Suns or NOH over seven games.

The West is just sooo tough....

A 22 game winning streak is simply amazing in the NBA or any professional sport for that matter.

My only concern is can they compete in the grind it out style of the playoffs. Unfortunately I can see them struggling in a 7 game series. I can't see them getting past the Spurs, Lakers, Suns or NOH over seven games.

The West is just sooo tough....

wow, kobes not that great when he doesn't have a team to back him up!

I mean, even with mcgrady having an off night he still can't get a win for his team.

eastern lowland gorilla, you are a tool.

How do you mean?

LA havent won anything since o'neal left... And the only reason they're doing so well this year is because of Bynum/Gasol!

ELG the only way ur suns are going to catch us is thru injury..lol

Kad.....How do u figure Odom can cover for Gasol

For starters Odom is inconsistant, and at 6-10/11 he is more a small forward than a Power forward let alone a Centre

Ronny Turiaf is playing Ctr, and whats he.....6-9

Rockets are playing well....losing Yao will hurt their playoff chances i reckon, but....if u look at the numbers since Yao has gone down all their numbers were up

Alston was huge off the bench for him....he was the difference

Sure no yao crosses out no gasol but dopnt forget about ariza, mihm and bynum!

I am so far from agreeing with Fezlington or Kobe-for-MVP on anything they've said since Ive been reading this site...but come on ELG, they havent had Gasol all year and have been great. (please no one mention the 'hands down' most improved player bynum (see turkoglu) who has had maybe 30 good games as the main reason). And he did average 35ppg a couple of seasons ago to make the playoffs with an absolute joke of a roster. And we've discussed this before, teams 'winning' (im assuming you mean championships or finalist) need more than 1 star (besides Cavs last year but that was the fluke of the century).

So bit unfair...seeing as it was also 1 game...anyone watch SportsCentre? Battier's D was pretty insane! Hand covering his face every time he touched the ball

and the rockets are going past the first round...no ifs ands or buts about it

oh please. Stop giving me ariza and mihm, they hardly even get on the floor.

And felinxton, i didn't mention the suns at all. Are you worried about them or something. Kobe needs a lot of good players around him to win, thats all

yeah just like every other star thats won a championship eh ELG?
Jordan had a complete team and Pippen
Wilt had his hall of fame roster
Duncans had the Admiral, Parker, Ginobili and a great list of role players
Drexler won when we went to Houston with other stars and a great bench.
Wade had Shaq (now look at the Heat now...)
Pistons (current and late 80's)
Early on Kareem had the Big O in Milwakee and that was a ring (big O finally got his - thanks kareem -althoguh Kareem then had to wait to be paired with another big star for his next)
Magic had Kareem, Kareem had Magic
Bird had an amazing roster

Thats a stupid thing to say, because you need a mixture of a great bench, attitude, character players, role players, and your stars to win. No superstar could do it single handedly, and of all of them, Kobe can probably at least do it as best as it can be done (espeically with the quality of his teammates over the post shaq la era)

ELG, thats the most ridiculous thing u have said

Where were the Lakers when kobe was trying to do it all???....no where

Its a team sport mate.......as jules mentioned all those blokes wouldnt have won it alone

LG you have no idea of the concept "team".
Magic Johnson had a great team around him with Kareem, Worthy, Scott etc etc. Bird had McHale, Parish and co. as well. Jordan was not a lone hand either as pointed out with Pippen, Grant and a host of great role players. He couldn't do it on his own.
TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More.

Bryant has Fisher, Odom, shooters. I daresay Bryant has a better team right now than Jordan did back in 97

I know you didn't just say that ELG...

Odon and Fisher...your kidding right

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.... elg you are hilarious

Go the suns

u do make us laugh ELG....i will give u that

What. Pippen and Harper are better than Odom and Fisher?

Cmon ELG.....ur losing credit here

Pippen was a much better player than Odom

Harper in his earlier days was avging 20+ pts

his last season with the Clippers, he avged 20 pts 6 reb and 4 assists

His stats dropped to 6.9 pts, 2 & 2 in his first season with the Bulls

Both of them we better players than Fish and Odom

"So what happens if they beat the Celtics? Still rubbish?"

Didn't happen (and the Celtics were without Allen). Great streak by the Rockets but they are not in the top 8 contenders in the league.

You've gone quiet kad?