Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from red-hot February
1. This team is awesome
The 2017-18 Houston Rockets roster has a chance to go down as one of the best squads in recent memory.
Through the first half of the season, Houston has displayed a level of depth and firepower that has not been seen since the days of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler — featuring arguably two of the game’s greatest playmakers in James Harden and Chris Paul, alongside a dynamic shot-blocker in Clint Capela, with several knockdown shooters who can manage to catch fire at any given instant. As a result, the Rockets currently stand atop of the NBA with the best record in basketball.
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Although the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference is far from over, this team has managed to prove why general manager Daryl Morey considers it to be his greatest team yet.
In the month of February, the Rockets have scored 113.5 points per game and hit nearly 16 3-pointers per game, en route to beating teams by an average of 14 points per contest. While helping new additions such as Joe Johnson and Brandan Wright get acclimated within the system, Houston has not dropped a single outing since falling to the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 26.
Should the Rockets find a way to continue playing at this level, then this is a team that could set the record for most 3-pointers made in a single season once again, and possibly score 90 points in a half for the second time prior to the conclusion of the regular season. This is the team that could help to redefine the game as we know it, and show the rest of the world why the Houston Rockets should be considered as legitimate contenders in 2018.
Next: 2017-18 Week 20 NBA Power Rankings
Houston will now try to close out the month in grand fashion, as it prepares to do battle against DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night.