Tonight makes two consecutive road wins in places that are traditionally pits of despair for the Rockets (despite being lovely cities). We can be grateful for any sort of win we might grab in either Denver or Portland, despite Denver being mostly injured and Portland being out of sorts because they lost to OKC.

When the Rockets came out to start the game tonight they were assuredly not out of sorts. The first team moved the ball well, and Scola was stroking shots, not missing anything in the first half. The first quarter was up and down, with Portland (seemingly for the first time in years) pushing the pace of the game. The Rockets shot well, Portland shot well, and between them both teams put up 58 points in the first, with the Rockets leading by 2, 30-28.

In the second quarter McHale went to the bench, and the bench proved too much for Portland. The second team was just amazing, moving the ball well, playing great D, hustling constantly. The Rockets shot the lights out in the half at 60%, but I contend that it isn't that hard for an NBA team to do that, given open shots and easy shots. The Rockets worked the ball so well that there were lots of open and easy shots, especially when you have shooters like Budinger and Lee. We saw the best version of Jordan Hill thus far in the first half. He rebounded like a maniac, played good D on LaMarcus Aldridge and even notched 3 assists.

The Rockets lead by 14 at the half. They shot exactly one free throw, a Patterson +1. The refs seemed determined to make up the OKC loss to Portland in the half, with what was an entirely bizarre series of calls. To put it in perspective, Samuel Dalembert was whistled for two fewer fouls than the entire Blazer team at the half. Be that as it may, hot shooting and solid D cover a multitude of whistles.

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Portland is tough at home, Rockets are bad on the road. Let's change that tonight.

According to Jonathan Feigen - Rio Grande Vipers center and Xiane object of basketball desire Greg Smith will be signed by the Rockets today. Feigen cites interest from other teams in the 6'10 260lb center. His raw stats are quite good.

Smith is averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in 28 minutes average with a .677 shooting percentage. Projected to 40 minutes stats those numbers would be: 22pts, 11 rbs, 1.7 blocks, 1.7 steals.

He may be raw, but he's a natural center, and for a third, possibly second, center you could do worse. Feigen notes that this signing is not related to Samuel Dalembert and Jordan Hill spending most of the Denver game glued to the bench, but I would say it's not unrelated either.

Smith is a very young player, just turning 21 in January, and it surprised some observers that he wasn't drafted. Here's the Draft Express profile.

The likely casualty here is Jeff Adrien and now I find that a shame, because the Rockets seemed to finally find someone to partly fill the Chuck Hayes role - undersized, overstrong, scrappy and great at rebounding, not a scorer.

I enjoyed seeing a Rocket swing his elbows on a rebound for what seems like the first time this season. I hope that we make a move and send Flynn or Thabeet away for valuable prizes instead.

One last note - Former Rocket Jeremy Lin seems to have found a home in New York with the Knicks. (Because any point guard is better than no point guard perhaps.) Someone projected his stats over 48 minutes and they're better than DWade's (except for the turnovers). I find this hilarious. We may regret keeping Jonny "Aaron Brooks Without The Shooting" Flynn.

Update: Adrien was in fact cut by the team today, per Feigen.

I took notes for this game, and I'll share some of them with you. As this got out of hand my notes probably got worse, sorry.

First Quarter.

Both teams come out looking sloppy. Misses from both teams at 2 feet, though the Rockets had two to the Suns' one. A dunk would be indicated for Dalembert, Scola or Gortat 2 feet from the rim. Are we seeing less dunking this year? It seems like we are, though I have no proof. Tired legs?

The persistent sloppiness overcomes McHale and he calls time out with 5:40 in the first after PHX rattles off 8 unanswered and takes a small lead.

Luis Scola is really pressing right now. Does he need a night off like Tim Duncan?

Not a lot of fouls being called tonight thus far. These aren't two rugby sides, but they are surely getting pretty handsy with each other.

Chandler Parsons blocks Grant Hill on a baseline move after Hill beats him off the dribble. Parsons is so tall and "long" that even after he's been taken off the dribble he can still make a play. Just another really useful second round pick. I love that the Rockets simply don't concede anything when picking in the 2nd round. They're still going for prospects who can start in the NBA rather than someone who is definitely ready to be the #12 guy.

At this point only Parsons and Kevin Martin are playing any effective offense. Wait! Scola finally scores at 3:20 left in the 1^st. Perhaps this will start something?

Sebastien Telfair, still in the NBA. Why? Aren't there players who can you know, play basketball, in the D League?

Suns shooting very poorly, which is a great boon to the Rockets, as they've missed some truly wide open looks. I'd be concerned about "blowing the big lead" if those start falling. With these dimming Suns though, I'm not all that scared. This isn't 3 years ago.

Telfair gets praise from Clyde, and actually makes a shot to confirm The Glide's mistaken impression that he's good. First Michael Beasley, now Sebastian Telfair, which overhyped disappointment will be praised next?

Marcin Gortat is too much for Jordan Hill it appears. Not a shocker, as Gortat is both large and surprisingly fluid. Hey, you know what would be good? Another big powerful center. Do we have one? Why, yes, yes we do. His name is Greg Smith and his 40/min stats are:

21.7pp40/11.4RB40/1.8bp40/2.3ap40 with a .678FG%.

Smith's 6'10" and goes about 250lbs. Bring him up from Rio Grande before someone signs him away. Apparently he's got enormous hands. You know what that means? Big gloves.

JUMP for those other three quarters and commentary so insightful you'll gasp with delight.

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Here we go - Rockets back at home and looking to snap a losing skid.

The Suns are setting, but still a tough matchup for the Rockets in particular.

Nash The Teacher vs Dragic The Former Pupil! It's On!

9-7. So here the Rockets are in hotly debated territory - sitting, for now, in a playoff position at 8th in the Western Conference. But let's talk about the game and worry about managing expectations of futility later.

This game started extremely well for the Rockets. The team was burying shots in the first quarter and the Spurs, without Tim Duncan (resting as perhaps Luis Scola should sometimes be rested?), looked lost. The Popovich called a time out, and in his usual fashion, asserted order. His adjustment? Run everything off Parker driving to the the rim off an (often moving) pick. This worked well, so the Rockets, after burning San Antonio with a fast start, led by only 6 after the first quarter.

In the first quarter both Martin and Scola looked dangerous, with Martin seeming to begin a rediscovery of a kind of basketball he once knew. a kind of hoops that involves quick drives, strong finishes and no whistles. No whistles blown no matter that he's actually, truly, really, genuinely, hacked whilst shooting. Encouragingly though, Martin is, in truth, silly fast and can score off most drives, as he proved with 25pts in 34 minutes with only 4 free throws attempted.

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There are games that make me question my already shaky faith in the integrity of the NBA. This was one of them. The Lakers assumed their usual role as beneficiary of the league's largesse.

The Los Angeles Lakers remain an excellent team (until their legs fall off in March). Kobe and Bynum are remarkable, sometimes unstoppable, talents. Kobe Bryant poured in 37 on 14 of 29 shooting and got the most out of his personal force field that punishes all physical contact he doesn't initiate with whistles.

To be fair, he mostly sank shots, in true Kobe fashion, scoring his points when the defense was at its best. His talent remains, yet of all the superstars who have passed through the league in my lifetime the only one I'll miss less than Kobe when he's gone is Karl Malone.*

Andrew Bynum is presently the most scary center in the NBA. He's actually fit to start a season, not currently hurt, and appears to have made a commitment to being a good player all the time, rather than when the mood strikes him. Perhaps removing his Lamar Odom-shaped binky has encouraged him to cease the moral bedwetting that characterizes his career thus far. At any rate he looked dominant tonight. Jordan Hill simply isn't big enough to hold him, Samuel Dalembert simply isn't fit enough to do a great job at this point. Bynum put up 21pts and 22 boards.

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You can say this pre-season has brought a keen sense of frustration, anxiety, and betrayal but you can't say it hasn't been memorable.

Looking at this pre-season through the lens of the past few years it is almost as if Daryl Morey and the Rockets front office had been composing a symphony. Beginning at the jangled, broken wreckage of the careers of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady the Rockets executed trades that passed by the consciousness of NBA fans with little notice.

But all those trades had been building a theme out of odd phrases, off notes and cast offs - that the Rockets burgeon with good, if not great, veteran players, and young players with untapped potential. There was a foundation of reliable, and not aged, veterans. There was a brace of talented young players written off too soon. Added to that were a few enigmas with equal potential to be waived, or yet become genuine stars. Where could it all lead?

It lead to a trade, one like few others. The Rockets had built from rubble to a crescendo that would bring Pau Gasol, evidently past the age 30 Big Man Abyss*, and then, surely, another big man who would seize the main chance of joining Pau in front court that could contend for the NBA's best. The violins were weeping for favorites gone away, but the brass was beginning to sound a triumph, a contending Rockets team brought out of nothing, no high lottery picks, no headline player signings. Thus a masterwork, signaling bright new days for the Houston Rockets.

Then the cliched needle gouged its way across the vinyl - the NBA and David Stern killed the music dead. Sure there was an effort to revive the deal, to pay more, but the conductor had suffered a serious blow to the forehead, the musicians weren't on the same page and anything further wouldn't sound the same at all.

Now what? Now Jump.

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Good evening and good night gentle friends of Rocket Nation. This is Xiane, your late-night DJ, and I'll be here to share your joy, sorrow, outrage, frustration and separation anxiety. Usually a pleasantly disgruntled place, tonight Rocketland is roiled, boiled, toiled and troubled by an impending trade.

Nothing is easy for the Rockets. After parting with two quite good players, one interesting young player and one first round pick for what appears to be mopey 31 year old Catalan, Pau Gasol (who must be cheered by Baracelona's win today and who is likely to be 7 feet tall) the Rockets were told to try again, to bid against themselves. Now Rocketland is torn asunder in painful cogitation noodling out just which young favorites will join our veteran stalwarts in journeying to that shining example of NBA consensual management, The New Orleans Hornets.

One has to wonder whether one year of Chris Paul is worth Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, and a first round pick. I personally think Paul's a huge health risk who could go the sad way of Brandon Roy, and I'm perfectly willing to see LA take that risk.

Anyhow, speculate, vent or just let your ambiguous feelings flow as coherently as you can manage, dear ones.

What sort of music is appropriate for tonights sojourn into misery, despair, and just possibly, elation? Let me know.

Are you there Google, it's me, Xiane and I wrote that headline just for you. Welcome new reader!

I just can't quit you, NBA. I'm back, as you knew I would be, slinking around sports sites, checking my timeline, commenting on posts. I feel so shamed, so manipulated, and yet I'm definitely up for some hot trade action. The Rockets don't even have to be involved.

That begs the questions - should the Rockets be involved in trade activity? Do the Rockets need a trade? How about a free agent signing? Are we doomed? Find out what I think regarding these questions after the JUMP...

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Hi Rockets fans, thanks for sticking with The Dreamshake during the 150 day lockout.  It is apparently all over but the voting and signing, with a 66 game schedule on tap starting in a few weeks.  So now we can get back to talking about basketball and not labor negotiation, game theory, and the casting of blame.  

I am happy that the lockout is over, but I can't say I'm overjoyed, because this strikes me as a deal that was probable, even obvious, at the start of the lockout. Given the economic climate, it was clear it would be the players giving up ground in this deal, not the owners.

 For all the talk about the players caving in the last labor dispute, it's fairly obvious they improved their lot in that arrangement. It was also clear that they'd be handing some back in this one. That said, they held firm, were willing to push the generally tough bunch of NBA owners farther than they expected to be pushed.  I believe the players gave up less than I expected they would.  You can read more about the details of the agreement at any of the usual major media sources.  

Now I have to get over my sense of disgust to find the interest that's propelled me through two seasons and a lockout writing on The Dreamshake.  As actual basketball begins to unfold, as players are signed, as we learn about the shape of what promises to be a crazy compressed season, I'll be saying more. 

For now I'll say, NBA, I'm glad you're back, but I need a moment before I can speak civilly about actual basketball.  It'll come, and in the meantime thanks for sticking with The Dreamshake, and the Rockets.  

I do.  If you're still reading and visiting The Dreamshake you're A-Ok in one important, perhaps vital, respect - you are my internet friend.

The NBA administration, owners, players, agents?  Not so much. We aren't internet friends right now.  I'm not happy with any of them.  

We've now lost two more weeks of regular season games if rumors prove true (and they will).

Federal Mediation put in a better effort than I thought it would, but to no avail.  In fairness, Federal labor mediation was meant to calm things down when miners and their families are loaded onto boxcars  in the desert at gunpoint, or autoworkers are literally shot by their bosses, or 150 girls burn to death.  (Yes, this and much more happened in the USA.)  It's popular to bash unions today, but compare Chinese coal mining deaths to US coal mining deaths on a yearly basis and you'll see that many of the victories US labor won for everyone American citizens are worthwhile.

This sort of mediation really was never meant to address disputes between millionaires and billionaires.  And make no mistake, the driving force on the players' side isn't the guy sitting at the end of the bench, happy to make league minimum or a bit more.  The players are being driven by the stars and their agenda.  And honestly, why not?  What separates the NBA from the a great overseas league like Spain isn't the guy at the end of the bench, it's the stars.

I wrote another piece here a couple of weeks ago wondering why two sides, who presumably have a good "game theory" grasp of the contest at hand, would fart around when real money was on the line.  I still don't know the answer, as the idiocy continues to snowball.  There's a range of deals that can be made, a range that I might drag and flagellate myself into writing down someday but not today.  Today is a good day to whine.

Couple more things after the jump.

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In Brief - This Sunday has all the makings of an entirely incredible sports day. 

(Do not tell me any results.  I am imposing an international sports blackout tonight.)

Here's what's on offer:

10 AM - Manchester United vs Manchester City - (or to borrow a phrase, The Forces of Darkness versus The Forces of Evil) any way you cut it, an exciting anticipated match.

12 PM - Houston Texas versus Tennessee Titans (or The Forces of Good versus The Faces of Methopotamia)

2 PM (And don't freaking tell me.) New Zealand All Blacks versus France (Les Blues) - (This doesn't need recasting, as its New Zealand versus France which is fairly obvious)

 I'll be watching from the Richmond Arms (possibly in an All Blacks shirt and Texans hat) and arriving as early as I can.

And now some extra words.  How are you today? Feeling fine?   Nice weather we're having.

Last week saw NBA player and owners hold talks where apparently both sides sat around and stared at one another for several hours.  Then both walked out saying that scheduled training camp opening and the first two weeks of preseason games would be cancelled.  

Well done.

Here's the thing, in any negotiation both sides generally establish (at least) three cases - best, worst and a middle case that they think represents a likely compromise.  The best case represents the other side completely capitulating to all demands, essentially a dream come true.  The worst case reflects not complete capitulation on every point, but the worst acceptable deal.  Anything less favorable than that and whatever consequences come of not making a deal are deemed preferrable.  The middle represents, generally, what you think you have to get, what you think the other side has to get, and what you're willing to give up, or take, to reach agreement. 

Both sides have surely established these three cases in some fashion. Of course it is more disjointed than that as some owners or players have different "must win" conditions.  Even so, both sides have a pretty good idea of what a deal looks like.  Pretending that either "Best Case" is possible is almost certainly naive on the part of both players and owners.  

 The ongoing posturing and hard-line stance is ridiculous when the season is now in actual danger of slipping away.  There are only a couple more weeks before regular season games start getting clipped.  That costs both sides money.  Some sort of middle case is likely.  Both sides know this. 

There are evidently going to be more meetings tomorrow.  Perhaps each side will attempt to make the deal they have more or less known they would make all along.  Here's hoping.

Have any of you ever been completely at the mercy of the timetable of some part of the US government?  Not pining after a tax refund, or spending a year and a half wondering about an entry level job in Gabon after completing the Foreign Service Exam.  No, paralyzed and trapped, body and soul, or knocking around like a pebble in a bucket. This is usually done at the behest of Our Armed Forces, but it might be the Forest Service or perhaps a criminal investigative service or intelligence arm.  A small taste would be the line at an office filled with federal public servants clearly eager to serve you, in their own sweet time. 

This is the sort of waiting that is only glancingly acquainted with clock or calendar.  Things happen when they happen. No one knows why or when, and the only thing to do is invent rumors. The waiting might be punctuated by periods of frenzied activity:  "Fill out this form!"."Go and wait here!". Sometimes the waiting is accompanied by a queasy jangling emptiness, knowing that the waiting might be followed by something much worse, but at least it won't be more waiting.  

Welcome to the NBA lockout.  It's that kind of waiting.

Jump to ponder if you're buying low, who's buying high, up with people, and if Apollo will bring you a shiny trophy.

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So, the NFL owners and players reached an agreement.  Even Congress decided that, all things considered, all strongly held opinions taken into account, the nation would be better off not defaulting on its debt.  Both confrontations often beggared belief and left me drained and more cynical than ever.  The saddest thing is that Mosquito Circumciser Jerry Jones comes across as more rational than many of our elected representatives.  The greatest thing about a democracy is that it's ultimately our own fault. (And there end my political contribution, perhaps forever. This really isn't about politics, don't talk about it below.  The point is even that kerfuffle reached an endpoint.)  The great thing about the NFL is that it's ultimately not our problem.

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I'm happy for the Dallas Mavericks, for Dirk Nowitzki, and for Mark Cuban, the most entertaining owner in the NBA (who behaved with unexpected decorum last night).  No, I actually am.  It's not just the They Beat The Evil Spoiled Brat Empire-in-the-Making of Miami, although that is a huge part of it.  I'm happy to see another hard-working foreign star finally get the credit he's due.  I'm glad the "choker" mantle has been lifted from Dirk, because I'm not sure if God Himself, or Michael Jordan, could have beaten Dwyane Wade AND the refs in 2006.  Last night, despite starting 1-12, despite Miami shooting 17 more FTs, despite a narrative that demanded a 7th game, Dirk and Dallas closed Miami out.  They took their team to South Beach and left The Talent reeling, defeated and petulant.

Of course Dallas fans will be insufferable when we play the Mavs next season. Of course they will.   But ask yourself, how much more insufferable can they be?  The decent ones will still be decent, the jerks will still be jerks and the bandwagon fans will say things like "Houston has never won a championship!" so you'll know to ignore every single word they say for the rest of their blighted, sad, existence.

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Your Disclaimer - This is purely an expression of personal feeling, the analysis content isn't high, if there is any at all. I'm talking about my own sentiments here, and yours may differ greatly and we may both be wonderful people nonetheless. It's possible. 

Like a great heavyweight boxer the Lakers dominate the NBA conversation to such an extent that even a Rockets blog can, without much weirdness, have an opinion on their exit. Here's mine, all biases fully featured and more-or-less proudly owned.

So Long, Lakers. That was the brutal, merciless, exit you richly deserved. A beatdown, straight, no chaser. The big story? There was absolutely no need for Lakers or the press to make it all about the Lakers. You know, the usual story you've read all too many times; "What's wrong with LA that they're losing?"  "Is there secret angst in Lakerland?" " Is Pau really turning into an ostrich?" " How can they let this happen?" "When will Kobe lower the boom?"  "Wow, it'll be amazing when LA inevitably wins!"  

None of that applies. It doesn't matter one iota what the Lakers were thinking, feeling, doing or saying, because Dallas flat out kicked their asses. Four straight. Close game.Holding precarious leads. Comeback. A savage beating for the curtain.  

There are pieces of music written (from classical to rock and everything in between) so a performer can strut his or her stuff, display virtuosity, confirm mastery. They aren't always the best from a musical standpoint, but they leave no doubt the musician has chops. Dallas performed such a piece on the Lakers. LA's mental state, Phil's leadership, Kobe's decline, Pau's disappearance were basically the piano accompaniment to Dallas' performance. It wasn't about LA at all.

Here's the odd bit. I don't hate the Lakers, per se, (I truly and honestly loved the Showtime Lakers as much as a Rockets fan could) but I positively loathe these particular Lakers. If asked at gunpoint which current Laker I liked, I'd answer Lamar Odom, but his cheap-shot on Dirk may have altered that. 

On Phil - Phil was and is a great coach. He's a fine strategist and a superior motivator. No one works over the press, the opposition and his own players like Phil. But perhaps his finest talent has been attaching himself to the right situation. Today the amazing Phil, against all expectation, managed to find one last new thing to do in the NBA before yet another hiatus - his team was swept from a playoff series.

Now Phil Jackson can head up to Wytana and contemplate trout and wildflowers for a couple of years until he figures out which player is the new clear #1 in the NBA (with a Top 10 sidekick). He will then volunteer to coach said player for $15-$20 million a year. And he'll do it his way.    

That's the thing, Phil Jackson is always, 110%, for Phil Jackson. He'll show up, and take your #1 player (and Top 10 sidekick) to a title, he'll be richly compensated and screw your daughter in the bargain, if one's available. He'll expect you to be absurdly grateful for his passive-agressive words of wisdom. He'll wear whatever glasses best complement his Deep Guy Manque image.  

Occasionally Phil will let a genuine bit of emotion or respect slip out from his usual torrent of fish hooks and razor blades, and like scraps before hungry mongrels, the press will devour it whole. When his #1 player slips a bit, begins to totter on his perch, Phil will be gone like yesterday's weather. To meditate and be deep somewhere awesome, one presumes.

Kevin Durant? LeBron James? Player X? Meet Phil Jackson. He's coming soonish to an arena near you.  

[Note by Xiane, 05/10/11 ] It was suggested to me (by voice!) that Phil Jackson didn't win his titles by writing Michael Jordan's name on the lineup card.  Agreed, I never said he was bad coach.  But do this little thought experiment with me. Two otherwise identical coaches, one named Phil Jackson, the other Jack Philson.  One has Jordan and Pippen (or, later, Kobe and Shaq) on his team, the other doesn't.  Who wins the title?

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Never let it be said within our hearing that Daryl Morey isn't open to new ideas.

The Houston Rockets, employing proprietary statistisophical research, have (not) announced that they are widening their coaching search further still.  The ever-expanding dragnet will now (not) include the world's finest Houston Rockets blog named for a Hakeem Olajuwon scoring move - TheDreamshake.com.  

We at the Dreamshake are of course flattered by the ersatz consideration, and the wide ranging thoroughness of the Rockets' search for a new coach.  We would take on the coaching of the Rockets the same proactive and synergistic way we take on blogging about the Rockets (haphazardly, never in agreement, likely to be suspended when coaching against the Jazz).  

We believe the idea of crowdsourcing the on-court leadership of the team is an idea that possesses a certain utterly daft merit and that it should (never) be fully explored.  You, our faithful readers, will be therefore be included in the decision-making process should we, as a blog, be hired to coach the Rockets.  

Of course I'll weigh in on the Rockets' coaching situation.

So now we know Rick Adelman won't be back.  Unlike some, I've got mixed feelings about this.  I don't think coaches with Adelman's ability are easy to find.  Adelman can make a top offense out of almost any collection of smart, reasonably talented players.  Some coaches can't make a good offense with 3 superstars (Miami).  And while Tom Thibodeau has got Chicago playing fantastic D, it's offense apparently boils down to 

"Give Rose the ball.  Let him do something awesome.  Repeat."  So far, that's worked.  Chicago is one sprained D Rose ankle from disappearing.  There is no plan B.

For all the Bulls wonderfulness and vaunted D, it's taken D Rose Miracles to get them wins against Indiana.  Indiana, a team the Rockets effortlessly crushed.  A team with a losing record and no really scary threats anywhere on the court.

What's the point of that?  This: even a great new coach might not have everything you want.  Chicago's offense is slightly higher functioning than Jeff Van Gundy's, but not much, and with much more talent than JVG had.  And this is with the best new coaching prospect in a very long time, one who achieved an amazing feat with the Bulls.

Coaches who can do it all are rare.  You want a leader of men, a defensive guru, and offensive genius, a teacher, a wily media manipulator, a guy who maximizes every asset and minimizes every flaw, a cold-blooded tactician, a free-thinker who nonetheless respects management, an easy-going guy who can get millionaires to play like their lives depend on it, a man the everyone respects, but who doesn't take himself too seriously, someone with boundless energy who never is ground down by the long NBA season and time away from his family, young enough to relate to the kids and old enough to have seen it all.

So by all means, let's go get that guy.  

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"Well, it really was a Woozle
Yes it was, was, was
Why it really was a Woozle, yes it was
Of course it was, I'm sure because
I think I saw some Woozle fuzz
It really was a Woozle, yes it was

'Cos I know what a Woozle does
And what a Woozle doesn't
And if a Woozle it was not
Then you are standing on the spot
Where a wise old Woozle wasn't
Well, we didn't exactly see one
But we knew it had to be one"

And, thus, with implacable logic and incredible prescience did AA Milne describe the 2010-2011 Houston Rockets season.  

If you haven't read Winnie the Pooh lately, and perhaps some of you haven't, the story is one of hunting Woozles that are diligently tracked, but never quite found, with puzzling proof of their potential, possible, presence piling up in proportion to the pursuers' peregrinations.  And that, in a nutshell, is our season.

If you have no interest in nuts, or the shelling thereof, stop now.  Otherwise, jump.  

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It's another one of those annoying early start times.  It sort of messes up the whole day to have to start trundling to TC at 5ish.  Which Hawks team will show up?  Who knows?  I doubt they know.

The Rockets need to run the table of their remaining games and get divine intervention in the form of New Orleans losing almost all of its last games.  I honestly think Houston as its playing now will make a better showing in the playoffs than NO, but that doesn't matter unless we get there.  

In other news, with the Spurs swooning, and the Lakers surging, I wonder how much LA should want Memphis is the first round?  Memphis is entirely capable of beating LA.  Marc Gasol is tough on his brother, no one on LA can really contain Randolph and Conley should run roughshod over Fisher.  If I was LA I'd think long and hard about taking on Memphis in the first round.  They'd probably win, but it could take a real toll.

Anyhow, all this playoff stuff almost certainly won't be a problem for Rockets fans until next season.  I'm predicting there IS a next season, and it's barely late at all.  The NBA owners and players need to make hay during what looks to be a thermonuclear NFL confrontation.  The NFL is super popular, but for me at least, it's getting more difficult to enjoy, which is the subject of another rant for someplace else.  

Anyhow, this has been a fantastically good NBA season, and I hope the NBA won't blow it with a protracted fight.  I also really like the looks of the Rockets going forward - almost everyone important is locked up for at least another year (except Chuck and The Yao Conundrum) and our shopping list consists of "Center".  If Thabeet brings his D League game to the NBA, we sign or draft a center and somehow, someway, Yao is ok, we'd be in high cotton indeed.

What can I say, I'd really like to keep this win streak going against the Heat.  The pointless, annoying, Heat.

Well, Utah didn't help us (or themselves) out, to the surprise of no one.  All the Rockets can do is keep winning and pray someone above them stumbles badly.  

There's been a lot of talk of player development vs trying to make the playoffs, but I think we're getting both.  Learning to win when wins are needed certainly can't be seen as a negative lesson.

So, if everyone you ever really hated on the Utah Jazz left, would you still hate the Jazz?  I never thought I'd ask that question.

I say yes, until the Jazz prove they are worthy of something besides contempt, the hate continues, for tradition's sake and past crimes if nothing else. But I'll admit to a sliver of doubt.  The current Jazz roster lacks the truly vile scumbags of Jazz teams past.  AK47 is an annoying flopping doofus, but he's no Karl Malone.  Their center whatshisname is a tedious git, but he never plays and hardly sinks to the grimy short-shorted depths of John Stockton.  And we don't even have a Carlos Boozer analogue on the current roster, as The Booze is Someone Else's Problem.  

Beyond that, the third person in The Unholy Trinity of The Utah Jazz, Jerry Sloan, is, shockingly, gone.  All it took was a firing,which flabbergasted me.  I thought Sloan, at the very least, would have required a wooden stake, garlic in his mouth, beheading, burning, holy water, a bible reading, and the scattering of his ashes into a fast flowing stream at dawn.  All it took was a firing.  It's like The Lord of The Rings ending with Sauron leaving the Middle Earth entirely because he got a strongly-worded letter from Bilbo Baggins.  No war, no quest, no volcanoes, nope, just gone, and likely to get his security deposit back, too. 

But Mordor would still be Mordor and Utah still claims to have Jazz.  

• Rockets vs Suns MicroRecap - Phoenix entered this one without Steve Nash and the Rockets finally broke a long, sorry, chain of defeats by the Suns.  The Rockets won this one 95-93 on a last second miss by Dudley, but the game shouldn't have been this close.  DLeague call up Zabian Dowdell made a case for staying in the NBA with a strong defensive effort on Kyle Lowry, and Vince Carter continued to find new and interesting ways to be annoying - after missing pretty much every shot for 3 quarters, Carter went nuts in the 4th and nearly helped the Suns walk away with yet another victory over Houston.  Being Vince Carter, this didn't quite happen, luckily for us.  Anyway, I'll take any win at all over Phoenix, thanks very much.  The Brooks/Lowry grudge match fizzled, as Aaron Brooks failed to light up his former team, going 1-9 while Lowry scored 18 and added 5 assists and 6 rebounds (though Lowry's night was rockier than his stats would indicate).
• Rockets vs Charlotte MicroRecap - Rockets pummel Bobcats.  Charlotte didn't start the season with a lot of talent, and much of what talent it did have, it basically gave away.  The fact that Crash Wallace went to Portland for a smallish ball of string, a broken garage door opener and some sandy gummi bears is stunning.  That lack of talent was on full display at Toyota Center, where DJ Augustin managed 22 points and the rest of the Bobcats, including Stephen Jackson, tallied 56.  Michael Jordan, the executive, is the exact opposite of Michael Jordan the player - lazy, indecisive, poor-decision maker, lacks commitment, apparently not motivated to win, avoids actual leadership.  

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March 18th.  Green puke yesterday, puke green jerseys today.

Big game for the Rockets (or not depending) and big game for Boston.  Rockets have had some success against the Celtics lately, so that's good.

Expect to see a lot of ugly green jerseys around TC tonight. This is the law of Boston fandom - Boston wasn't good enough to provide them with a living, but no matter what city's coin they take, they'll always support Boston teams.  

Which is ok, I can live with it, I guess.  Despite the average Boston sports fan being arrogant and entitled in victory and petulant and graceless in defeat, I can live with it.  No, it's moving somewhere and taking that place's money then indoctrinating their children to be the exact same Boston fan they are, despite living in Texas or California, or Washington or wherever that pisses me off.  

Anyway, Go Rockets.

Quick!  Name four Charlotte Bobcats!

Right.

About now the state of North Carolina has completely forgotten about the existence of this team, having better things to do in March. When asked if the Charlotte Bobcats team picture should be placed on the side of a milk carton the answer was a resounding "Don't bother - we don't want them back".  Send this team to Seattle, pronto.

So we've learned something in the past few years.  You'd want Michael Jordan to play for your basketball team.  You'd want him to stay far far far away from your basketball team in every single other respect, including Haynes underwear. 

Aaron "The Angry Duck" Brooks!

Kyle "The Bulldog" Lowry!

Goran "The Magic" Dragic!

Steve "The Dietician" Nash (maybe)!

It is on!

PS - Still pissed about the San Antonio game.

[Note by Xiane, 03/16/11 12:43 AM CDT ] The Bracket Contest featuring No Prize Whatsoever is NOW OPEN.  

Go ye here.  

Password: dream34

Hi Dreamshakers - the Madness that pervades March is about to descend upon us all, culminating in our own Clutch City.  

My question is - do Dreamshake readers want to participate in a Dreamshake NCAA Tourney Bracket?  If I get some positive responses I'll set up an online contest and post details for log in here in an update.

The prize is being able to brag about winning this contest.  Probably people will buy you drinks and make you amazing offers of a romantic nature, but I can't promise that.

This sounds good to me - our bracket is set up here at CBS Sportsline.  

Groupname - The Dreamshake

Abbreviation tdshou

Password: dream34