5 Ways Marcus Camby Helps Houston Rockets in Playoff Race

The Houston Rockets picked up center Marcus Camby at the March 15 trade deadline in exchange for Jonny Flynn, Hasheem Thabeet and a second-round draft pick in hopes of making a playoff push behind the defensive-minded veteran.

Camby, who has made multiple playoff runs with a handful of other NBA teams, is 38 years old, but just five seasons removed from a Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Camby is still one of the league's elite rebounders and shot-blockers despite his age, and he is surprisingly still one of the NBA's better passers for a big man.

So, how can he help the Houston Rockets' playoff chances in 2012?

Join Bleacher Report as we take a closer look at five ways that new Rocket Marcus Camby helps Houston in the Western Conference playoff race. 

Shot-Blocking, Defense

Camby ranks 11th in the league this season in blocks per 48 minutes, averaging 2.99, and his season average of 1.4 BPG ranks in the top 15 among all NBA centers.

The veteran defender is closing in on 2,300 career blocks, and he has a plethora of awards to prove his worth on the most critical end of the floor.

Camby has made the NBA All-Defensive Team four times and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2007, leading the NBA in blocked shots per game that season with 3.3. 

Playoff Experience

The Houston Rockets are the sixth NBA franchise that Marcus Camby has suited up for during his 16-year career, and could potentially become the fourth that he leads to the postseason.

Camby's teams have made the playoffs 10 times in 15 tries, which bodes well for the Rockets, who have not made the postseason since the 2008-09 season, despite boasting winning records in each of the past two seasons.

The 38-year-old brings 76 games of playoff experience to Houston's roster, including 43 starts and career postseason averages of 7.7 PPG, 9.3 RPG and two BPG in less than 30 minutes per game. 

Underrated Passing Ability

Contrary to what you would assume about Marcus Camby as an NBA center, the veteran role player is one of the more polished passing big men in basketball.

Camby ranks seventh among NBA centers this season in assists per game, averaging nearly two per night in a little more than 20 minutes of action per night.

Camby also boasts the lowest amount of turnovers per game (1.1) among the top 10 center assist men this season. Incredibly, Camby is tied for third among NBA centers this season in assists per 48 minutes (3.9).

Leadership

The fact that Marcus Camby has brought a winning attitude to every one of his NBA homes over the years is a testament to the veteran's character and leadership.

Few Marcus Camby-led teams have ever self-destructed or ever looked lackadaisical on defense, which is again a credit to Camby's relentless intensity in front of the rim.

His age and time in the league make him a legitimate veteran and locker room presence in Houston and that can only help, not hurt, the Rockets as they make their final push for the playoffs.

Consistent Rebounding

Although few NBA fans would be surprised to hear that Marcus Camby averages 8.6 rebounds per game this season in only 22 minutes per game, they might be surprised to learn that the 6'11" center leads the league in rebounds per 48 minutes, averaging a ridiculous 18.8.

That's more than Dwight Howard. 

Camby has always been a superb rebounder, however, and averages 9.9 for his career, which includes eight consecutive seasons of averaging at least 10 RPG. 

Although his minutes have declined with age, his effort on the boards has never come into question.

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