Playoff Picture: Houston Rockets

Why They’ll Win It All

While Harden does most of the scoring, this team ranks sixth in the league in defensive efficiency, giving up 100.3 points per game. With Howard back on the court, that number will get stingier as well. The fact is, this roster is littered with hard workers who do their best to stay in front of their men and protect the paint.

Josh Smith, despite being a somewhat risky pick-up at the time, has plugged in and worked hard on the defensive end most of the time he’s on the court.

Patrick Beverley will be sorely missed, his injury ruling him out of the postseason and coming at a bad time. He is a hound without the ball. But Trevor Ariza, Terrence Jones and even Kostas Popanikolaou are all just as capable of defending opponents who can score. It makes this group tough to break down, and with the pace of the game slowing down in the playoffs, this will be their calling card.

Even K.J. McDaniels, who came across from the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline, can have a big impact on that end. He’s been mostly buried on this team, playing in only eight games for the team so far, averaging less than three minutes of game time.

But we’ve seen in Philly what he can do, and if their defensive abilities go that deep, they’ll be hard for most teams to break down when the pressure cranks up. Combine that with Harden’s ability to get a basket when needed, and it’s a deadly combo.

Next: Will Reliance On Harden Hurt This Team?