The Houston Rockets’ Engine Breaks Down

Houston was coming off a 12 game wining streak and looking strong for playoff contention. In a conference where nine or 10 teams could make a good argument to be in postseason play, the Rockets are ranked seventh, which I must say is amazing coming from the most competitive division in basketball. Houston is ranked fourth in their division and still in great position to make the playoffs.

It is now going to be hard for Houston to go the rest of the way alone. Yes they do still have McGrady, but a pilot needs his engine to push through such a good conference. Houston is 37-20 and the ninth seeded team in the conference (Denver) is only three games back. That is a slim margin with this much of the season left. 

Ming was averaging 22 points (ranked 12 in the league) and 10.8 rebounds per game. As good a defensive giant as Mutombo is, he’s just not at the same athletic level as Yao Ming. He can’t run as many minutes in this point in his career (Ming was averaging 37.2 mpg this season), and he definitely can’t play the level of offense that Houston has required out of their big man.

Houston is going to have to come up with a whole new design for their offense that doesn’t rely on the center position. They still have some really good athletes in Battier, and the two smalls in Rafer Alston and Bobby Jackson to assist McGrady, but I just don’t think that it’s going to be enough.

With 25 games left in the Rockets' season, 11 are against teams that are currently seeded for the playoffs. Out of those 11, six of the games are away and five are consecutive. Out of the other 14 games they have to face Denver twice (once at home and once away) and Portland once away (Portland is 21-8 currently at home). It will not be an easy road for Houston to maintain their playoff status.

And of course we have the Nuggets, who probably got together and opened a few bottles of fine wine celebrating their newly found hope to find themselves in the bottom half of the western conference's postseason. Just to calm all of you Denver Nugget fans down, I’m not saying they wouldn’t have been able to surge past Golden State who only has a half-a-game lead on them, but this will definitely benefit both of these teams.

I only mention the Nuggets here because I’m not sold on them yet. Golden State has played much more consistently and have a well-balanced attack in their lineup—and this is not even mentioning the always explosive Baron Davis.

The Nuggets are scoring 107.6 PPG and have two of the five highest scoring players in Allen Iverson (third with 26.7 PPG) and Carmelo Anthony (fourth with 25.9 PPG). With just these two players scoring half of their points every night, why aren’t they winning more games? They definitely have the talent, with a starting line up that includes:

C—Marcus Camby

PF—Kenyon Martin

SF—Carmello Anthony

SG—Allen Iverson

PG—Anthony Carter

This is a really good starting five and they have the makings of a great team, with a deep bench in Kleiza, Nene, Najera, and Smith if they can keep them all healthy.

I’m also not sold with their coach George Karl. He was great in the 90s with Seattle, but he’s only been scrapping to keep his team above water (.500) the past three years. If he can’t bring these boys together, his playoff appearance will be a short one...again.

What I’d like to see is some more three-point shooting from them. They have a couple of really talented shooters who can do it too, but they have to stretch the defense so that the big time players—Camby, Iverson, Anthony—will have an easier time driving and getting down low in the post. Iverson's and Carmelo’s numbers will drop a little because of the outside shooting, then so be it.

The second big thing I’d like to see from them is defense. Allowing 104.7 PPG? Are you kidding me? That’s third worst in the entire NBA. The only one that looks to be pulling that off is Golden State (107.9), and they are on the verge of exiting the playoffs.

The Nuggets have a long way to go before the playoffs; I honestly think they have a harder remaining season then Houston, so the Rockets aren’t out of it yet. And, for the time being, it's Houston’s to lose.

Either way you put it, it will be a great finish to a good season, and best of luck to both teams.