NBA常規賽即將打響，外媒專欄（The Point Forward）大膽猜想了各支球隊的未來走向，首先來看對休斯頓火箭的大膽猜想。

最佳猜想（Best-case）: 霍華德重振威風，火箭一飛沖天。最壞猜想(Worst-case): 球隊表現還算不錯，卻離冠軍一步之遙。

火箭隊的陣容和打法上還有很多謎團，但是霍華德和哈登的強強聯手完全可以確保火箭足夠堅強去應對困境。最糟糕的可能就是球迷的期待遲遲無法實現。另外，火箭隊的陣容深度不俗，但是大前鋒位置上的短板卻是顯而易見，休斯頓人需要有人挺身而出。在新賽季中，火箭會不斷成長。儘管這支隊伍還有瑕疵（in spite of flaws），但是仍有奪冠的可能。新賽季將會激情四射。

      Best-case: The Rockets make the jump ahead of schedule as Dwight Howard assumes his previously dominant form. Worst-case: Houston is very good while still being — rather clearly — a piece or two away from challenging for the title.

      Plenty still needs to be sorted out in terms of who and how the Rockets will play, but the pairing of Howard and James Harden is too sturdy for disaster. The worst that could happen is an expected delay; even a glance up and down Houston’s roster would reveal a glaring hole at the power forward spot, one of which the Rockets are intimately aware and surely looking to address. Otherwise, this is a team in a position to grow organically during the season, potentially to the point of challenging for the title in spite of its flaws. Once more, with feeling: This is going to be fun.

☆☆☆☆☆五星級詞彙及短語

☆sort out挑選出；分類；例句It takes me a long time to sort over my thoughts before I can start writing.在動筆之前，我得多花些時間整理一下我的思路。
     ☆sturdy adj. 堅定的；強健的；健全的；例句They strode on their sturdy legs down the street.
他們邁著強健的雙腿在街上大步走。
     ☆power forward大前鋒，forward是前鋒。
     ☆spot 地點；斑點；例句His glance stayed posited on the spot. 他的目光盯住那一點不動。
     ☆in spite of 雖然。
     ☆flaw 瑕疵，裂紋；缺點；flaw意指美中不足的小瑕疵。