A day after losing Chandler Parsons to the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, looking to replace Parsons’ energy and shooting skills at small forward, signed 10-year veteran Trevor Ariza, consequently, everyone predicted the Rockets to take a step back. Five games into the season, Trevor Ariza’s doubters are nowhere to be found.
The Trevor Ariza signing looking quite good for the Rockets.
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 5, 2014
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The Rockets are, for the first time in 18 years, undefeated through the first five games of a season. Nevertheless, their record gets undermined when you look at the below-average – to say the least – offenses and dreadful defenses they’ve faced during the season.
Coming off victories over the league’s peanut gallery – Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers – the Rockets’ first test of the season came against the 104.8 point-per-game Miami Heat.
The Rockets held them to a pedestrian 91 points during the bout as they vehemently cemented their position as a looming threat amongst the Western Conference.
The Rockets – throughout their hot start – are fifth in the NBA in points per game with 105.6, or as we say .1 points per game worse than the highly-explosive Golden State Warriors (105.7), and third in points per game allowed.
As impressive as their offense has been, it is their defensive effort which has empowered them to elevate their game all the way atop of the Southwestern Conference.
Biggest improvement for Rockets in 1st wk is the defense, but 3-pt shooting close behind. Used to take a lot. So far have shot, made a lot.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 5, 2014
Who’s to blame for their success? Well, in essence, everyone but if you look deeper into their stats you’ll see that it’s their role-players who’ve stepped up and delivered – so far – each and every single game, especially Trevor Ariza.
Ariza came to the Rockets after a near career season with the Washington Wizards which earned him elite role-player status and a four-year, $32 million contract with a borderline contender. For the Rockets a solid Chandler Parsons replacement at a discount.
He leads the league in 3-point attempts (35), and 3-point makes (21).
He’s shooting, throughout the minuscule sample of five games, .580/.600/.900 near impossible numbers to keep for a complete season, however, even if his 3s dropped all the way to .400 he’d still be way above the league average and would continue to spread the floor for the Rockets.
Here’s every category in which Trevor Ariza is a top-5 player:*
Here’s what the Rockets look like with and without Ariza:
Safe to say that Trevor Ariza is taking over Chandler Parsons’ pretty well isn’t he? James Harden and Dwight Howard aside, Trevor Ariza might be the most important player for the Rockets.
Not only did he take over Parsons’ skills on the court but he also seems to be a great locker room guy that helps with fellow teammate’s gel-ness.
Fortunately for the Rockets, Trevor Ariza’s cost (<$8.5 million per year) : benefit (see above) ratio is second-to-none in the NBA.
Even though the Rockets seem to have everything going their way, they still have to deal with league turnover leader James Harden (18; 3.6 per game) and league personal foul leader Dwight Howard (25; 5 per game) on a daily basis.
Although very important categories by themselves, keeping Howard out of foul trouble is what will eventually keep him on the floor, thus multiplying their chances at contention.
Of course, as the season goes on the Rockets are going to drop some games and their stats will eventual settle at a more realistic place, nevertheless, with seventeenth toughest schedule in the NBA, they have a chance to keep this hot streak going and, hopefully, a chance at the Western Conference title.
*He leads the Rockets in Net Rating (27.6) and steals per game (1.8), and is 12th in the league in points with 88 – one shy of Klay Thompson‘s 89.