The sore thumb, however, is Ryan Anderson and his huge contract. Add these to starters Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza, and the Rockets quietly have a bunch of versatile and formidable frontcourt defenders to stymie opposing offenses. Tucker, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and Tarik Black, the Rockets invested in defensive specialists who can switch onto multiple positions. They were able to keep Nene, who excelled in a backup center role last year.īy signing P.J. With reigning Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon as the principal scorer off the bench, the Rockets traded away the superfluous Lou Williams. The Rockets’ other moves this offseason reflect a focus on defensive versatility. There are a few secondary issues to consider: will the serious Paul and laidback Harden clash off the court, and will Paul be able to play fast at D’Antoni’s breakneck pace? But ultimately, this backcourt could be the core of a championship team. Take into account Chris Paul’s veteran leadership and stellar defense, and the potential for this duo is high. Also, the Rockets won’t have to worry about their offense falling apart when they rest one star the other can run it too. Both are strong spot-up shooters as well Harden thrived in his early years with the Thunder as a long-range threat and cutter and could return that to the role a bit with Paul running the point. It is a real concern that the whole will never exceed the sum of the parts, so to speak.īut having two elite, unselfish passers in one backcourt could cause unprecedented problems for opposing defenses. Adding Paul, a ball-dominant point guard that’s accustomed to dissecting defenses by himself, could disrupt the flow of such an explosive offense. Last year, James Harden’s switch to point guard unlocked the Rockets’ offense and affirmed D’Antoni’s “seven seconds or less” principles. Additionally, the Rockets’ bench and defense was weaker than the Spurs’, who showed more depth and a wealth of defensive playmakers.Īt first glance, Chris Paul seems like the imperfect superstar to pair with James Harden.
Harden, who played in all but one game last year, was visibly worn out and exhausted by the end of the series. Last year in the playoffs, the Rockets lost to the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals largely because they over-relied on Harden to create their offense. The addition of one of the top point guards in the league gives James Harden a much-needed costar to run Mike D’Antoni’s electric offense. The 2017 NBA offseason began with a bang when the Rockets traded for Chris Paul, surprising the entire league.
0 kommentar(er)
