Right now, in the NBA there is only one team capable of beating the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game series.
That team is the Houston Rockets.
By the time the playoffs started last season, James Harden had just enjoyed an MVP-caliber year, and one of the all-time greatest offensive seasons ever, however, it was clear that due to the lack of support by the end he had run completely out of gas.
The Rockets shocked everyone when they announced they had acquired Chris Paul from the Clippers. Although for a while in the offseason it seemed like they would make a move for one more superstar they stayed put as they felt comfortable that CP3 was enough to take the team to the next level.
So far, he’s been the absolute key to their success. The Rockets have exploded to a 14-game winning streak that coincides with Paul’s return from injury; two events that are certainly not coincidental.
With CP3 running the show, the Rockets get one of the best at getting the switch and then knocking down the shot on the defender’s face. The best part is that he doesn’t need much room at all to do so.
Paul is also one of the premier finishers in the lane, able to find any angle off the glass at any speed.
If he doesn’t like his chances he can easily find the open shooter for good looks. He is usually a step ahead of the defense as he snaps the pass to the open man before the defender even knows where the ball was headed.
Paul is a lot more than average when shooting from beyond the arc, as he can rain down three-point shots on the opponent when defenders give him a sliver of daylight after getting around a ball screen.
Paul has also become a key piece that helps the Rockets take pressure off James Harden when they execute the pick and roll as he’s a great dribbler and is an elite shooter from mid-range.
When Harden is resting on the bench and CP3 is on the floor he can turn into more of a scorer’s role as he can calmly survey the situation until he finds a mismatch he can exploit using the step-back three.
His vision and passing add a whole new level of pressure to the opposing defense as he can find the open men across court for the assistance the instant a defender loses his focus.
Just the fact that head coach Mike D’Antoni can rest Harden and get outstanding playmaking out of his pick-and-roll offense is a huge leap for the Rockets.
Harden’s game has also benefitted from having CP3 along for the ride. He’s scoring 2.5 more points per game and shooting two percentage points better overall than last year and five points better from three-point land this season now that Paul is in Houston.
All these improvements have supercharged the Rockets offense which now has enough firepower to compete with the Warriors and is now playing along with the fifth-ranked defense in the NBA.
The Rockets now own a team that matches up well with the Warriors and will have the added benefit of an extra-rested James Harden, who should have additional energy in the playoffs to contribute more on the defensive end.
These teams played on opening night and Houston squeezed out a 122-121 win in Oakland. Their next meeting will be on January 4 in Houston and will grant NBA fans another chance to get a preview of what will probably be this year’s Western Conference Finals.
