Houston Rockets Roster 2020 Rockets Roster

2019-2020 Top Houston Rockets Roster Questions

Will the Road to the Finals be Easier or Harder?

With the Warriors dynasty finally on hold, it feels like the western conference is finally open for others. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be easier to get to the finals, however. While it’s true that there won’t be one singular team that’s as hard to beat as the Warriors were, the overall quality of the conference has gone up. There are several new contenders to take the Warriors place, all with convincing cases of their own. Right now, the west is projected to be an absolute gauntlet, and there will at least be a couple very good team that won’t even make it to the second round. The Lakers, Clippers, Jazz, Nuggets, Rockets, Blazers, and even the Warriors still all believe they’re the ones who’ll make it out of the west. The Rockets may not have a singular series that’s as difficult as their battles with the Warriors have been, but even the first round will prove much more challenging than it’s been in years past. The West will be a bloodbath, and the Rockets can’t expect to have any easy series in the playoffs.

How Much Confidence Does the Rockets Front Office Have in Mike D’Antoni?

Mike D’Antoni has proven himself to be a very good coach, but whether he’s championship worthy is another question. Despite a lot of wins and regular season success, he’s always fallen just short in the playoffs. To be fair to him, he’s had some rotten luck and been a victim of poor circumstances. Still, at the end of the day he hasn’t even made the finals once. Fair or not, this has probably led to some doubts and uneasiness in the Rockets front office. The fact that the Rockets and D’Antoni have yet to come to an agreement over a contract extension is worrisome. D’Antoni is expected to come back and coach the Rockets this season, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he’s the one they scapegoat and fire if the Rockets underwhelm.

Does Russell Westbrook Fit in the Rocket’s System?

Perhaps the biggest question for the Rockets is how well Westbrook can adapt to the Rocket’s style of play. By pure analytics, Westbrook would seem to be a poor fit, as his below average 3-point percentage would seem to run counter to the Rocket’s mantra of letting it fly from deep. Still, there are things to consider beyond the 3-ball. Most importantly is how well Harden and Westbrook can co-exist as dual ball handlers. Harden and Paul were an imperfect fit together, and Westbrook could be even more difficult to integrate. On the flip side, the Rockets still won a lot of games with Paul and Harden, and unlike Paul, Westbrook and Harden are very close friends. The positive relationship Harden and Westbrook have off the court, as well as their overwhelming talent, could end up mattering more than their fit on the court. The Rockets might have to shift their identity a little bit to incorporate Westbrook, but that’s a price they should be willing to pay for a talent like Westbrook.