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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 26, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers associate head coach Mike D’Antoni prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The 76ers defeated the Suns 111-104. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Three Key Storylines: 2. Clutch City Pringles

There’s no question that Mike D’Antoni has had a significant impact on the course of NBA history. As an early adopter of the basic principles that now comprise the pace-and-space era, D’Antoni and his Phoenix Suns teams were revolutionary, even if they never broke through and won a title.

The only question is whether Mike D can still be an effective head coach in this day and age. After all, his last two stops with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers were hardly encouraging, with the Pringles Guy boasting a combined 188-254 record (.425) over that six-season span.

It’s been easy to chalk up D’Antoni’s success to having Hall of Fame-caliber players like Steve Nash, Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. After burning out in the NBA’s two largest markets, Mike D — until he proves otherwise — is widely regarded as a basketball relic who helped lay the foundations for a new era of basketball but is incapable of building it up any further.

There’s a chance D’Antoni crashes and burns once again in Clutch City, but it’s worth noting that he finally has something he didn’t have in New York and Los Angeles: A superstar playmaker and facilitator capable of shepherding his offensive schemes.

Harden is easily the best floor general D’Antoni has had since his days with Nash, and on paper, this union could empower both to reach heights they haven’t seen in quite some time. With more shooters on the perimeter and Mike D putting the ball in Harden’s hands, the Rockets’ offense could be fearsome to behold.

The D’Antoni hire was perfectly in line with the Rockets’ complete commitment to offense, and though he’s given little reason for encouragement in his last two jobs, if ever there were a place for him to restore his league-wide reputation, it’d be in Houston with Harden leading the way.

Next: Storyline 3: Can Harden Lead Again?

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