NBA 2007-08 Preview: Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets lay claim to the tallest player in the league, the 7-6 Yao Ming, a pillar of the team's success. Coupled with superstar Tracy McGrady, Houston was considered to be a heavy favorite to compete in the already tough Western Conference last year. However the season ended in a letdown as the Rockets failed to escape the first round of the playoffs after going up 2-0, then losing 4 straight games to the Utah Jazz.

The biggest off-season acquisition for the team was the re-acquisition of Steve Francis from the New York Knicks. Francis had played alongside Yao for several seasons before being dealt in the trade that brought Tracy McGrady over from the Orlando Magic. Now Francis is back in the mix along with Yao and T-Mac, and the team seems ready to compete. This will also be the second year for defensive standout, Shane Battier, a player who makes the hustle plays on the court, takes charges, grabs rebounds and plays solid defense at all times. Swingman Bonzi Wells adds yet another versatile guard/forward into their scheme and he can be another scoring option at times when Yao or T-Mac or even Steve Francis are not at their best.

In terms of the bench, the Rockets seem to be just a bit guard heavy. Guard depth should not be a problem at all as the Rockets have the likes of Aaron Brooks, Rafaer Alston, Kirk Snyder, Bob Sura, Bonzi Wells, Luther Head and Mike James. A few of these players may be missing due to roster cuts as the season begins or progresses. They also have backup centers in Jackie Butler, a 3rd year player out of the Coastal Christian Academy, as well as Dikembe Mutombo who is at the ripe age of 41 years old and still playing basketball. This may not be the best for Yao Ming who will need to rest at times and could be one of the major weaknesses for the team which will need a decent backup center.

The Rockets will also be enlisting the services of a new coach this season, albeit a seasoned veteran in Rick Adelman. Adelman will replace Jeff Van Gundy who seemed to enjoy a reasonable amount of success, taking the Rockets to the playoffs in several seasons. Key-games for the Rockets this season will include head to head battles with the likes of the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns, who are easily considered the three favorites to make the NBA finals in 2008.

Overall, the Western Conference offers some extremely tough competition and there are 10 teams or more who may compete for a playoff spot. The Rockets seem to have the talent, skill and size to make it into the playoffs, but their success will ultimately rest on the shoulders of their tallest star, Yao Ming. If Ming begings to dominate games and intimidate other Western opponents such as the Spurs' Tim Duncan and Suns' Amare Stoudamire, the Rockets just might earn themselves a trip to the NBA Finals. A healthy Tracy McGrady will also go a long way, as he can add much needed scoring relief should Yao get into foul trouble or need a rest, and the addition of Steve Francis may give the team that extra push needed for the title run.