The memory of the bitter feeling from last season's 7 game playoff loss to the Utah Jazz is finally starting to become a distant memory as the Houston Rockets prepare to open the 2007-08 season at their training camp in Austin Texas. The Rockets have made quite a few changes to the team going into this season, not the least of which is an entirely new coaching staff led by long time NBA coach Rick Adelman who has brought in Jack Sikma, Elston Turner, T.R. Dunn and R.J. Adelman as his staff.

Besides a new head coach and staff, they Rockets have added several new players to this team. For starters they have a new power forward, this summers Tournament of America's most valuable player Luis Scola a 6' 9" 245 player from Argentina. Scola is a two-time Spanish league MVP and is 27 years old. The forward is an intense defender, a solid rebounder, a proven scorer with range and a reliable ballhandler away from the basket -- skills that should prove to be an asset in Rick Adelman's motion-filled offense. Scola will do a lot of the dirty work under the basket that will benefit Yao Ming and in the long run make both players more productive.

Also new to the team are two former Rockets, Steve "Franchise" Francis who played his first 5 seasons with the Rockets before being traded for current Rocket superstar Tracy McGrady. Also back for his second tour of duty is Mike James who contributed in the 2004/05 season after being acquired from Milwaukee. Aaron Brooks a rookie guard from Oregon also will be looking for playing time. There will definitely be a log-jam at the point guard spot with the 3 previously named players joining last years start Rafer Alston. It will be interesting as training camp progresses and the season approaches whether all of them will remain with the Rockets. Also back for this season will be last season's "dog house" resident swing-man Bonzi Wells. Wells and last years coach Jeff Van Gundy mixed about as well as oil and water last season and with the addition of Adelman, who coached Wells in Sacramento, Wells will be looking to show Houston just what he can contribute.

Starters who will be back from last season are of course Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier all three carried a very heavy load last season and basically were completely wore out by the time the playoffs started. With the addition of Scola, Francis and James, and if Bonzi Wells can return to form the 07/08 Rockets will be significantly improved over last season. However, with that being said, I still don't think they will move up past the 4^th seed in the Western Conference, let alone 3^rd place in their own Mid-West division, what with defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks returning loaded once again. The Phoenix Suns also improved by signing Grant Hill to go with their star studded cast. Last seasons Rockets team won 52 games and I believe that this year's team will win 55, but will be much more rested and prepared for the play-offs as their overall depth prove to be the difference.

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