In order for an actual rocket to blast through Earth’s atmosphere, a great amount of fuel must be combusted in a fiery blaze. This description is also the perfect way to describe the current state of the Houston Rockets: this team is hot.
After routing the LA Clippers Wednesday night, Houston extended its league-leading win streak to 14. James Harden continues to craft his compelling case for league MVP honors with sustained offensive dominance, and the Rockets hold the first seed in the Western Conference. According to NBA.com, James Harden has made it clear that the the rockets believe that “this is the year” for the team. With a sharpshooting offense capable of taking over games and an effective defense, the Rockets have emerged as a legitimate contender for the 2018 NBA Finals.
Of course, before the Rockets can earn their opportunity to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy, they have to navigate way through the daunting Western Conference playoff landscape. As far as the West goes, all roads run through Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors have captured the conference title each of the last three years, and with Kevin Durant in the fold, the team is at the height of its powers. Given the overwhelming talent of all-stars Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, few teams have the mettle to capture four wins in a seven game series.
This begs the question: can the Rockets beat the Warriors in the playoffs? The answer is a little foggy, as their regular season matchups provide a poor preview of what is to come given that the Warriors--while consistently great--elevate their level of play in the playoffs. If the Rockets are to have any chance, there are three key boxes they must check: have Harden and Chris Paul both healthy, maintain home court advantage as the one seed, and play quality shot-contesting defense. Should the Rockets prevail to those ends, this potential series should be an intriguing display of star power and competitive fireworks.
After all, the Warriors proved back in 2015 that a team can win a championship against an established Finals star (Lebron James) with high octane shooting and MVP backcourt play. The jury is still out, but the Rockets have a good chance at knocking off the NBA’s top dog with the same model. Stay tuned.
(Image via the Space City Scoop)
Comments