Week 3: The Rockets' Rise to Greatness
This year, the Houston Rockets were the best team in the NBA. Many may try to dispute it, but you will be hard-pressed to find an argument that holds much substance.
The team's rise to dominance began in the 2017 offseason, when All Star Point Guard Chris Paul decided he had been through enough as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. His 7 years spent on a team that was truly a disappointment was seriously taxing on his self esteem. He spent years trying to make the best of a team that at one point included two other All Stars in their prime but they never made it past the second round of the playoffs. This increasing frustration with the team and coaching staff led him to give the front office an ultimatum: they would trade him to the Houston Rockets or he would opt out of his contract and sign with the Rockets as a free agent. Thus, on June 28, 2017, Paul was traded to the Rockets.
Initially, this interested many people in the league but it did not do much to worry any competitors. "He will not play well with James Harden" many said. They were simply in denial that two of the greatest guards in NBA history had just teamed up to form what is one of the greatest backcourts of all time. Additionally, the addition of several important defensive players such as PJ Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute gave the Rockets a much needed defensive boost.
When the season began, the defending champion Warriors were heavily favored to win the championship. In fact, the Rockets were predicted to win about 55 out of 82 games and leave the playoffs in the second round. However, as the season went on, the Rockets began to prove their critics wrong. They started by upsetting the defending champions on opening night, and they went on to convince more people that this was in fact their year.
In early November, the Rockets began a 14-win streak that ended in late December. In late January, the Rockets began a 17-win streak that lasted until March. Despite these obvious showings of greatness, people still doubt the Rockets. They cite previous years of defensive mediocrity, overlooking the fact that the Rockets have the 6th ranked defense in the league. They claim the Harden and Paul will be unable to lead their team to a championship because of their previous lack of success in the playoffs. However, neither player has played with a team this good. All these criticisms are critics sticking with the more conventional option of the Warriors winning a championship again to prevent accepting the unknown.
However, towards the end of the season, people began to give the Rockets the credit they deserved. Fueled partly by the complacency exhibited by the overconfident and injury-depleted Warriors and the Rockets finishing with 65 wins, good for the best record in the league, people began to open up to the possibility that the Rockets were the best team in the league and had a great shot at winning the championship. Many reputable sports writers are listing the Rockets as their pick for this season's champions, and James Harden is almost guaranteed to be the MVP.
The team's rise to dominance began in the 2017 offseason, when All Star Point Guard Chris Paul decided he had been through enough as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. His 7 years spent on a team that was truly a disappointment was seriously taxing on his self esteem. He spent years trying to make the best of a team that at one point included two other All Stars in their prime but they never made it past the second round of the playoffs. This increasing frustration with the team and coaching staff led him to give the front office an ultimatum: they would trade him to the Houston Rockets or he would opt out of his contract and sign with the Rockets as a free agent. Thus, on June 28, 2017, Paul was traded to the Rockets.
Initially, this interested many people in the league but it did not do much to worry any competitors. "He will not play well with James Harden" many said. They were simply in denial that two of the greatest guards in NBA history had just teamed up to form what is one of the greatest backcourts of all time. Additionally, the addition of several important defensive players such as PJ Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute gave the Rockets a much needed defensive boost.
When the season began, the defending champion Warriors were heavily favored to win the championship. In fact, the Rockets were predicted to win about 55 out of 82 games and leave the playoffs in the second round. However, as the season went on, the Rockets began to prove their critics wrong. They started by upsetting the defending champions on opening night, and they went on to convince more people that this was in fact their year.
In early November, the Rockets began a 14-win streak that ended in late December. In late January, the Rockets began a 17-win streak that lasted until March. Despite these obvious showings of greatness, people still doubt the Rockets. They cite previous years of defensive mediocrity, overlooking the fact that the Rockets have the 6th ranked defense in the league. They claim the Harden and Paul will be unable to lead their team to a championship because of their previous lack of success in the playoffs. However, neither player has played with a team this good. All these criticisms are critics sticking with the more conventional option of the Warriors winning a championship again to prevent accepting the unknown.
However, towards the end of the season, people began to give the Rockets the credit they deserved. Fueled partly by the complacency exhibited by the overconfident and injury-depleted Warriors and the Rockets finishing with 65 wins, good for the best record in the league, people began to open up to the possibility that the Rockets were the best team in the league and had a great shot at winning the championship. Many reputable sports writers are listing the Rockets as their pick for this season's champions, and James Harden is almost guaranteed to be the MVP.
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