Rockets Recap: How They Have Managed Their Surprising Start

Photo by Groovehouse

Rockets Red Rowdies definitely have something to cheer about this year.

If someone had told you that after the first two weeks of the season the Rockets would be missing Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones to injury and Dwight Howard to the flu, you would probably think this would be a miserable start to a season that began with one of them more disappointing offseasons in franchise history. This is, as they say, why you play the games.

Despite losing to the Golden State Warriors Saturday in a surprisingly close game, considering all the Rockets players in street clothes, the team is 5-1 and looking remarkably good in those wins, notching double-digit victories in all of them and holding every team under 100, while eclipsing the century mark in the first four games. It is difficult to imagine a better start for a team that many left for dead -- or at least fading -- after they were unable to land Chris Bosh and lost Chandler Parsons to free agency plus Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin to trades.

Thus far this year, they have started a second year player who spent most of his time in the D-League last year, a backup power forward and a guy who spent the last few years playing in Greece. They've relied on a veteran journeyman shooter and an un-drafted rookie in the rotation. Yet, there they are and there are good reasons why.

Defense

Just take a look at the numbers. They rank in the top 10 in the NBA in points allowed (2nd), opponent field goal percentage (2nd), opponent three point percentage (2nd), opponent rebounding (5th) and opponent turnovers (9th). Last season, they were in the top 10 in only two of those categories -- opponent rebounding (9th) and opponent three point percentage (10th) -- but just barely. The coaches and players made a point to say they were going to place a greater emphasis on defense this season, but they said the same thing last year. What changed?

For one, they are a bit older. Terrence Jones, who is a talent offensive player, could be a mess on the other end of the floor. We all know the video evidence of how lazy James Harden could be on D. And while Chandler Parsons wasn't exactly a sieve, he was often below average on the perimeter. The most notable change -- besides swapping Parsons for the more defensive-minded Trevor Ariza -- is hustle. To a man, players said that losing to Portland was a wake-up call for them. The focus they lost in the final .9 seconds of that series was indicative of a much larger issue: they got lazy too often.

It is tough to know if they can keep up this level of defensive intensity through the grind of an 82-game season, but if the first two weeks are any indication, this is a completely different team on that end of the floor.