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Houston Rockets: 2016-17 Season Outlook

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 3, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) celebrates after scoring a basket during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) celebrates after scoring a basket during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. The Rockets won 118-110. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Houston Rockets
Dec 2, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) attempts to steal the ball from New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Gordon (10) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Pelicans 108-101. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

Three Key Storylines: 1. Trading Defense For Offense

Offense wasn’t really the area Houston needed help after being a top-10 unit last season, but why aim for balance when being elite on one end of the floor might be enough to win games? That’s the Rockets’ philosophy at least, as they spent their summer trading defense for offense.

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    • With Howard opting out of his contract and heading to Atlanta in free agency, Houston lost its best rim protector and defensive anchor. The 22-year-old Capela can hardly be expected to have more of an impact than Howard in that role, which is troubling since the Rockets ranked 21st in defensive rating with D-12 on the back lines.

    Instead of trying to find a quick fix or shore up the perimeter D, Houston decided to take its greatest strength and inject it with steroids, signing Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon to help the offense improve from great to elite.

    Last season, Houston only ranked 19th in three-point percentage, converting 34.7 percent of its 30.9 long range attempts per game (second-most in the league). Anderson and Gordon should help in that respect, making this dangerous offense even more potent.

    With more floor-spacers for Harden, the Beard will either have more room to operate when attacking the basket or plenty of kick-out options on the perimeter when the defense collapses on him. As one of the best playmakers, pick-and-roll operators and iso-scorers in the NBA, Harden will be able to drive a formidable offense rather than carry it.

    The question is whether Houston can get enough stops to make all those points matter. Harden will have to go back to 2014-15 James Harden on the defensive end to set an example, Capela will have to make the leap in Year 3 and the Rockets still may have to outscore opponents 120-118 to win games.

    With a new head coach at the helm, Harden signed on for the foreseeable future and more three-point weapons on the perimeter, the Rockets’ success in 2016-17 will primarily depend upon fielding an unstoppable offense.

    Next: Storyline 2: Clutch City Pringles

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