Houston Rockets Players Under the Most Pressure in 2013-14

The Houston Rockets as a whole will be under tremendous pressure to improve in 2013-14, but most of the pressure will be placed on a few individual players.

General manager Daryl Morey made waves this season by signing Dwight Howard and bolstering a bench that was in need of some veteran presence. Morey will receive a ton of flack if the new-look Rockets don't succeed as many are expecting, but fans and analysts would be wrong to criticize him.

As with most teams that undergo significant facelifts, the Rockets will need to learn to play together as a unit before taking giants leaps forward. The Miami Heat didn't win a title in their first season with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, as it took them until the following season to become a nearly unstoppable force.

Houston stands to improve from their finish at No. 8 in the Western Conference last season, and expectations are that they'll climb up to be one of the top-five teams in the West. If that doesn't happen, then somebody will have to take the blame.

These three guys are under immense pressure to take Houston to new heights, and they'll be given much of the blame (whether it be fair or not) from the fans if Houston falters.

Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is under significantly more pressure than anybody else on this team. Morey believed Howard was worth the big bucks when he signed him to a long-term deal this offseason, but he also believed that Howard was the missing piece to a potential championship puzzle a few years down the line.

If Howard can't show the city of Houston that the Rockets are a better team with him under the basket, then expect the fans to turn against him quickly. Howard likely knows this, and that means the pressure is on for him to succeed.

There's a reason Morey went out to get Howard. The Rockets had serious problems on defense last season, and while Omer Asik was a strong option at center, Howard is a much more polished defensive star. His shot-blocking ability and ability to play tough on opposing big men makes him an instant upgrade over Asik.

Offensively, he's a bit more adept than Asik. Some will argue that neither player is as solid a post player as we're led to believe, but there's no doubting the fact that Howard is the more dynamic of the two.

He's never shot less than 52 percent from the floor, and that mark came during his rookie season in 2004-05. His career mark of 57.7 percent shows just how great he is at converting high-percentage shots. It's this consistency, coupled with his defense, that makes Howard so valuable.

It'll be interesting to see how he meshes with James Harden, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin when they all suit up together, but Howard's presence in the interior will likely give the entire team a confidence boost. Having somebody like that to check down to in the paint will open up a variety of opportunities on the perimeter.

If Howard doesn't build chemistry early with his teammates, then expect the pressure to escalate even more. There's no indication that the team will struggle with him in the mix, but it's always a possibility when adding a star like him to a team that already had a star (Harden).

Jeremy Lin

Like Howard, Jeremy Lin is under pressure to achieve in 2013-14. Lin's pressure is a little different, though. Howard's pressure comes as being a first-year player in Houston—Lin's comes as a player looking to be a leader on a team that expects him to be one.

His inconsistent play last season was ultimately detrimental to the team's success, and it also led to the Rockets' coaching staff losing faith in the young point guard. Per ESPN.com:

"The coaches were losing faith in me; basketball fans were making fun of me," Lin said. "I was supposed to be joyful and free, but what I experienced was the opposite. I had no joy, and I felt no freedom. ... I was ready to invigorate the entire city of Houston. I was supposed to save Houston basketball."

Lin will need to prove to both the team and its fans this season that he can be a consistent point guard in the NBA. He doesn't need to score 20 points per game, nor does he have to shoot upwards of 50 percent from the floor. Nobody is asking him to be a superstar. All Lin has to do is play within himself and capitalize on the serious talent he has around him.

Lin is best with the ball in his hands. Playing with Harden negates him from doing that all that often, but Lin will have to grow as a player and learn to be more of an orchestrator out of the backcourt. The Rockets don't need him to drive to the basket with regularity. They need him to hit open shots on the perimeter, and they need him to find his open teammates.

There has been speculation from fans and analysts alike regarding Lin's status as Houston's starting point guard. Patrick Beverley is talented and plays with a ton of energy, and Lin could be pushed from the onset of training camp in order to retain his starter's spot.

The pressure is most certainly on for Lin. The Rockets could look to trade him at some point during the season if he doesn't live up to their expectations.

James Harden

It's obvious that the team's best player will be under significant pressure. James Harden brought the team to new heights last season, and he'll be expected to lead the team to an even better performance during the upcoming campaign.

That will be a tough task, as Harden was incredible last season. He posted per-game totals of 25.9 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds. He shot 36.8 percent from three-point distance and quickly became the team's biggest threat from deep.

As a young, budding star on a young team, much wasn't expected from Harden last season. What a difference a year makes, as he's now under immense pressure to win in Houston. Bringing in Howard only makes that pressure greater.

There are some improvements Harden can make, and his success at improving will be what minimizes the pressure on him. 

For one, Harden needs to improve on his efficiency. He shot just 43.8 percent from the floor last season and needs to bring that up near 46 to 47 percent to make a personal jump into the top players in the NBA. An improvement there would also help the Rockets offense be more dynamic.

Improving his shot selection and putting an end to the infamous isolation plays that epitomized his 2013-14 season will fix that issue. If he can get rid of that and improve on his transition play, then Harden can help the Rockets win games.