Houston Rockets
The 2019-2020 Houston Rockets season can be defined by the fact that Mike D’Antoni and Daryl Morey are gone.
What did we learn?
Exactly what we suspected was always the case: Daryl never would have traded for Westbrook (especially in the manner in which Houston did) without being coerced to do so. It was Harden’s wish and Tilman Fertitta’s forcing of Daryl’s hand who made that trade. Erroneous contract aside, Westbrook is and likely will forever be anti-Moreyball. Not to mention that Mike D’Antoni adored Chris Paul.
Daryl did what he could to make it work, going all in on small-ball, micro-ball! A center-less disposition that allowed for maximum spacing for Westbrook to be on the floor next to Harden.
This Rockets season will surely be remembered by the super-duper small-ball lineups without anybody taller than 6-foot-7 on the floor at one time, but we are here to make sure you remember that James Harden started the season on an absolute tear. The Beard’s step-back was lethal and noxious, soo deflating for defenders to see go in because there is nothing you can do to stop it. Harden’s 37.3 scoring average through the first 10 games was the highest the league had seen through the first 10 games in the last 50 seasons. The Beard scored the most points in NBA history through the first 25 games, passing one Michael Jordan. Harden also tied Steph for the most three-pointers in NBA history through the first 25 games. Harden was wrecking this league! It’s not just the scoring either, we wholeheartedly agree with Walt Clyde Frazier who stated, “Harden is not given enough credit for his sagacity of the game.”
From Christmas until the season was postponed in March, it was Westbrook who went on a tear of his own wrecking-ball accord, averaging 31.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 51.1 percent shooting from the field. He even cut his three-point attempts in half! This is all to say that this reiteration of the Rockets at least had its moments. But you were fooling yourself if you ever thought the Rockets stood a chance in the Western Conference playoffs without a fucking center.
It was a regular season gambit that Daryl pulled to do the best with what he had, perhaps knowing all along like the great Magic Johnson: “I’m not gonna be here.”
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What are the answers to our Season Preview Final Questions?
How exactly do you allow for the two players with the highest usage rates in the history of the league to coexist in a groundbreaking way?
Micro-ball!
Will Houston’s continuity and Westbrook injection enable the Rockets to really take off?
We wouldn’t really call the 4-seed and losing 4-1 in the second round of the playoffs taking off, but the Rockets did finish #3 in the NBA in pace, all the way up from 26th the season prior.
Can Morey, Harden, D’Antoni and Westbrook finally get the playoff monkey off their backs?
Not so much.
But Mike D’Antoni, Daryl Morey and James Harden can always hang their hats on the fact that they pushed the Warriors to the brink.
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Would our preseason Over/Under prediction have hit?
The only thing that ultimately matters to us here is how polarizing this Rockets season promises to be.
We can’t friggin’ wait. OVER 52.5 wins. (64% winning pct)
Rockets 2019-20 final record: (44-28) 61% winning pct
Nope, our preseason Over/Under prediction most likely would have fallen short. The Rockets would have needed to win 9 out of their last 10 games.
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What’s Next?
It’s tough to win with a bad owner. It starts at the top of an organization. The owners are the ones truly in charge and with the final say. The Big Boss. By all accounts, it appears that Tilman Fertitta is an el cheapo who will dictate the team on his own terms.
Pay P.J. Tucker whatever he wants because he deserves it.
The Eric Gordon extension is not off to a great start, at all. Gordon shot just 31.7 percent from 3 on a startling 8.4 attempts per game. Not to mention the injuries, but EG has turned it around before!
New coach Stephen Silas should bring an exciting jolt of newness to a team that’s been predicated on not straying from the main path. Like the always astute KOC, we recommend adding in some variety. It’s pretty damn necessary come playoff time.
Find a center and/or a big man. This would be easier with cap space, but it still needs to be done. Aron Baynes would be fun! It seems like whoever it is needs to be able to shoot the 3 to allow for correct spacing for Westbrook. (Update: Apparently Westbrook himself could be on the move! UPDATE: Apparently Harden wants to be traded to Brooklyn!!)
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