NBA thoughts, during this week of college ball wonderness

Brother A and I spoke about the Rockets' winning streak, and he asked me how many games they'd have to win in a row before I'd take them seriously. He said 34, thereby compiling the longest streak in NBA history. 

But I've got to say, even that won't impress me. Tracy McGrady, albeit a buttery, slippery serpent on the court, really can't be considered a superstar until he wins a playoff series. In a sport where one superlative individual talent can win 4 of 7 on his own, he has yet to do so, even with a decent supporting cast. 

If he does so this year, though, it will be even more impressive; then he can get on the Kobe-Lebron-CP shortlist. The West is too deep, too talented, for a Rocket playoff win to be taken lightly. If they were in the East, he'd have to measure up in the same way Lebron does, where nothing short of a Finals appearance is noteworthy. But in the West, where real players play, all he has to do is win a series. Then, maybe, he gets my respect beyond his beautiful, oily game.