Houston Rockets: Reflecting On A 22-9 Start
Today, as the new year comes along, we look back at what exactly has enabled the Houston Rockets to achieve the success they’ve had so far during the 2014-15 season.
Therefore, it is imperative to try and pinpoint exactly what they’ve been doing during the season that has turned them, allegedly, into one of the most dangerous teams out of the Western Conference and the league in general.
This is by no means an effort to contradict the article about the Rockets’ eventual demise but rather a praise for what the Rockets have done so far that has given them the fourth best record in the most powerful conference in the basketball world.
Throughout the course of a wildly entertaining and rather interesting NBA season, the Houston Rockets have done a great job at determining exactly what their strengths and weaknesses are on the basketball court.
By cutting down on their weaknesses and in-efficiencies the Rockets have been able to become, under Daryl Morey’s command, one of the most effective and smartest teams in the NBA.
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At the center of it all you have the best shooting-guard in the NBA, James Harden (sorry, Klay Thompson) playing at the highest level of his five-year career. Beside him, you have arguably the most dominant paint player in a while, Dwight Howard, and one of the only centers that could lead a team’s championship run, allegedly.
Also, a collection of players that, even though they’re not the highest profiled ones in the league, do more than enough to provide the Rockets with the bench support needed to maintain their high level of play for an entire season and, hopefully, a title-run.
Now, even if a team has an impressive record, as the Rockets do, said record without perspective can be quite misleading.
In an effort to determine exactly how good, or bad, the Houston Rockets are, we have to put their 22 – 9 record into perspective by looking at their general performance against the top-tier teams in the league.
Offensively, with everything they’ve got going their way — Harden’s MVP-worthy season and sort of the smartest offense around — the Rockets still are underachieving.
They have a 105.1 offensive rating (18th in the league) and have played the fourteenth “strongest” schedule in the league. Of course, they haven’t been healthy for the better part of the season and they’re constantly making huge efforts as they try to bring back players from their injury list.
Offense vs .500 Teams
| Team | ATL | CHI | CLE | DAL | GSW | LAC | MEM | MIL | NOP | PHO | POR | SAS | TOR | WAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 2-1 | 1-0 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/31/2014.
As you can see on the previous graph, the Rockets have played half their season against teams with winning records. Throughout which the Rockets have a 7-8 record.
By averaging 99.7 points per game in .429/.326/.734 shooting, the Rockets have been able to put up somewhat of a battle, even though they’re currently at loss, against the league’s “elite” teams. Even though not every one of those teams will reach the playoffs, however, the Rockets are bound to meet up against most of them.
Offense vs sub-.500 Teams
| Team | BOS | BRK | CHO | DEN | DET | IND | LAL | MIA | MIN | NYK | OKC | ORL | PHI | SAC | UTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Rockets | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | 2-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1-0 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/31/2014.*
The Rockets have a 15-1 record against sub .500 teams.
In each of those games, the Rockets have averaged 102.1 points per game in .432/.380/.662 shooting. Also, they are averaging 80.8 two-point field goals, 33.6 threes, and 29.8 free-throw attempts per game.
As you can see, the Rockets have played a rather steady game whether they’re facing a winning-team or a losing one. The difference between their performances against each is minimal.
As a matter of fact, its been their defense which, repeatedly, has kept teams at bay and enabled the Rockets to achieve the level of play needed to succeed in the Western Conference and, eventually, the league.
Defensively, the Rockets have allowed over 100 points only twelve times, eight of them at the hands of teams with winning records. The Rockets have split those games and have a 6-6 record to show for it.
This means that the Rockets have held their opponents to less than 100 points for most of the season which has resulted in an overwhelming 16-3 record when the previous condition is met.
It is no secret whatsoever that the Rockets are at their best, by far, when their defense is performing at a high-level. Nevertheless, if the Rockets are still hoping to make a run at the most wide-open title of the last five years they will have to expand their offense as they try to adopt and improve in some other areas of the court.
As of now, the Rockets are doing a superb job at defense and are showing no signs, at all, of slowing down.