Houston Rockets: Josh Smith Solidifies Already Elite Defense

The Houston Rockets are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

Take a moment to laugh. Dismiss this as nonsense. And then check the facts.

Houston, notorious for its high-powered offense and turnstile defense, is one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

For as strong as the Rockets may be, they’ve built a roster which depends heavily on its stars. James Harden and Dwight Howard are more than capable of taking the team upon their shoulders, but there’s still a missing piece.

As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, the Rockets attempted to fill that void by signing polarizing forward Josh Smith.

In Smith’s first game with the Rockets, he finished with 28 points and eight rebounds in a highly-effective 32 minutes.

The question is, can he continue to perform at this level?

Smith, 29, was shockingly waived by the Detroit Pistons with two seasons and $27 million remaining on his contract. He’d been averaging strong marks of 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals, but did so on a slash line of .391/.243/.468—all marks well below his carer averages.

Rather than shying away from J-Smoove, Houston signed him with their biannual exception of just $2 million. That makes this a minimal financial gamble.

While everyone voices their concerns about his offense, Smith will help Houston round out an already elite defense.

Already Dominant

The Houston Rockets have justifiably developed a reputation as an offensive juggernaut with limited defensive efficiency. Houston ranked No. 2 in scoring offense and No. 28 in scoring defense in 2012-13 and No. 2 in scoring offense and No. 23 in scoring defense in 2013-14.

One year changes everything.

Thus far in 2014-15, the Rockets rank No. 2 in scoring defense and opponent 3-point field goal percentage. Houston’s also No. 3 in opponent field goal percentage, No. 4 in rebound differential and No. 7 in turnovers forced per game.

For fans of advanced metrics, Houston is No. 2 in defensive efficiency. Only the 23-5 Golden State Warriors grade better.

The true testament to how far the Rockets have come defensively is how inconsistent they’ve been on offense. Despite James Harden’s status as the league’s leading scorer, the team is No. 20 in offensive efficiency.

That’s a complete 180.

Dwight Howard’s 12-game injury absence hurt the offense, but it also allowed players such as Donatas Motiejunas to make his name.

When Howard’s been active, Houston has held 11 of its 16 opponents below 100 points. Even when he hasn’t been available, the Rockets have maintained a high level of defense..

With Trevor Ariza gunning as a 3-and-D maestro and Harden measuring surprisingly well in advanced metrics, Kevin McHale has built a committed and elite defensive.

The issue: depth.

Game-Changing Athlete

Say what you will about his wild inefficiency, but Josh Smith is one of the most physically gifted players in the league. He stands at 6’9″ and has the athleticism to erupt in transition and erupt at the rim.

That’s a major addition to a team which possesses what statistically measures as the worst bench in the NBA.

Houston’s second unit currently averages 21.6 points per game—No. 30—and ranks dead last in defensive efficiency, per HoopsStats.com. That’s not only bad, but dreadful.

A part of that comes from the early-season injuries Houston has battled. Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones, the starting frontcourt, have both missed time, as has starting point guard Patrick Beverley, which forced bench players to step into more playing time.

Thus, the players behind them were used in a larger capacity than expected.

With Smith on board, the Rockets can reformat their rotation and get the most out of each player. Not only can he play 30-plus minutes a night, but he can be a dominant defensive player when he properly channels his focus and energy.

Offensive inefficiency has long been a problem, but Smith is one of the most versatile defensive players in the league.

Elite Defensive Ability

When Josh Smith is given a defined role on offense, he can be a dominant defender. Not only is he positionally versatile on defense, but he’s a playmaker who can block shots, force turnovers and grab rebounds.

Can Smith make it last?

Smith has career averages of 15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals in 782 games played. Statistics don’t always tell the story, but in this case, they tell a major part of it.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, Smith is one of nine players in NBA history to averaged at least 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.0 steal over the course of their career.

The others: Marcus Camby, Anthony Davis, Patrick Ewing, Elvin Hayes, Dwight Howard, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Ben Wallace.

Good company.

Of players with at least five completed seasons, he has the lowest number of win shares. That’s a product of his inefficient offense, and not his, when focused, dominant defense.

That’s what head coach Kevin McHale must bring out of him.

McHale isn’t the most revered head coach, but his work in 2014-15 has him at the heart of the Coach of the Year conversation. He has a number of offensive-minded players committing to defense, and the results have been superb.

If McHale can do the same with Smith, Houston will round out an elite defense and solidify its status as one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

Next: Where Do the Houston Rockets Rank Amongst the NBA's Elite?