Why the Houston Rockets have become must-see television

After getting off to a 14-4 start, the Houston Rockets have officially become must-see television for the 2017-18 NBA season.

This team is going to be awesome.

These are the words of ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe while highlighting the Houston Rockets prior to the start of the 2017-18 regular season, who have managed to live up to every bit of his echoed sentiments through the first 18 games of the season.

Becoming must-see television in the process.

Throughout the first six weeks of the season, Houston has managed to mop the court with opposing teams like it is nobody’s business — destroying countless adversaries from the perimeter and win contests by an average 17.1 points per game, all the while still seeking to figure out how James Harden and Chris Paul will be deployed on the floor with one another.

Yet, Houston is not beating opponents strictly behind the 3-point line, they are also getting it done at the other end of the floor.

The Rockets are showcasing a level of defensive versatility that has not been spotted around Clutch City in quite some time, with the likes of newcomers such as Luc Mbah A Moute, P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela.

They have all proven to be excellent on-ball defenders and make enough critical plays down the stretch to help the Rockets join the Golden State Warriors as the only team in the league to rank within the top 10 in offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating this year — despite never being at full strength until Friday’s practice.

Wvery player on the roster was in uniform and ready to return to the team that currently sits atop of the Western Conference standings with a 14-4 record heading into Saturday night’s home showdown against the New York Knicks.

"“That’s the best part about this team,” Eric Gordon told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “Whoever is out, we still have a great chance of winning. I never worry about that.”"

And can anyone blame him?

Over the last two weeks, the Rockets have won five out of their last six games by at least 15 points or more. They’ve put teams to sleep early on in the first quarter by hitting a flurry of shots inside — combined with triples — to help set up the scene for 20-plus leads by halftime and make their work in the second half virtually child’s play.

Now with Chris Paul’s return back into the lineup, Houston features two exceptional ball-handlers that will look to apply pressure upon defenses at all times and pay for not being able to adapt to them more often than not. This gives the Rockets a chance to become even more dangerous.

Just when you witness a pick-and-roll involving James Harden throwing an alley-oop lob to Clint Capela, you will more than likely find Chris Paul and Ryan Anderson connecting with one another via pick-and-pop sets. It’s a luxury that the all-world playmaker has never had in his career until now, followed by Gordon taking advantage of second units off the bench, with his ability to shoot the basketball just as proficiently as he can attack the rim and finish in stride.

While the three-headed monster that the Rockets already boast at the guard position is dangerous enough, Houston also features layers within its respective schemes that have yet to be displayed across the board. They possess an array of potential counter moves for nearly every matchup that teams will throw their way this season.

Should teams seek to feature a presence on the low block, then Nene can be inserted for Capela. If a matchup does not favor stretch-4s, Mbah A Moute could fill for Anderson. Tucker and Trevor Ariza can serve as utility options for head coach Mike D’Antoni, while the two primary offensive orchestrators in Harden and Paul will help to ensure that each puzzle within the piece intertwines successfully with one another while taking turns playing either on or off the ball.

Next: 2017-18 Week 6 NBA Power Rankings

This is truly a special group, and one that has the capability to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, as the Rockets just might be the most awesome team in the NBA after all.