Houston Rockets Power Rankings: Rating Every Player Near Season's Halfway Point
With the halfway point approaching, the Houston Rockets are in the thick of a brutal Western Conference. Led by James Harden, the Rockets have hung tough with the best teams in the NBA and remain near the top of the standings.
At the beginning of the season, Houston's biggest concern was its bench, but that is no longer the case. The midseason acquisitions of Josh Smith, Corey Brewer and Alexey Shved give the Rockets legitimate depth in their rotation.
General manager Daryl Morey has been working at retooling the roster all season long. He pulled the trigger on deals for Brewer and Shved, then went out and signed Smith after the Detroit Pistons let him go. Apparently, Morey still isn't satisfied.
According to Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher (h/t Pro Basketball Talk), rumor has it that Houston is on the lookout for an upgrade at point guard. Deron Williams and former Rocket Goran Dragic are at the top of that list.
Current starting point guard Patrick Beverley is more than serviceable. In fact, he won second team All-NBA defensive honors last season. However, the West is stacked with top-tier point guards, especially among playoff teams. It's hard for Beverley to compete with the likes of Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Mike Conley and Rajon Rondo.
If Houston could land either Dragic or Williams and have Beverley come off the bench, it will have serious depth backing up one of the best starting fives in the league. The Rockets would become serious championship contenders.
But that's all speculation for now, but what we do know is that the current roster is still talented. The starters are among the best in the business, and the backups have been key contributors as of late. Former role players off the bench have taken steps back with the added depth and have fallen out of the rotation, while Harden and his legitimate MVP candidacy remain on top in this edition of the power rankings.
The order is based on how crucial each player's contributions have been for the Rockets throughout the season, particularly as of late, especially considering there are a handful of new guys in the mix.
The Bottom Five
1 of 11
14. Clint Capela
We knew the Rockets' first-round draft pick was a project coming in, and that's exactly what Clint Capela has been for Houston. The Swiss big man has only appeared in four games, looking as raw as advertised. He couldn't even score a point in his limited minutes, yet his stints in the D-League have been surprisingly effective.
Down in the valley, Capela is averaging 13.8 points, 7.5 boards and 2.6 blocks per game. His progress is coming along a bit quicker than anticipated, but there's still a long way to go before he's contributing for the Rockets, or perhaps another team, in the NBA.
13. Nick Johnson
Similar to Capela, Johnson has spent most of his time in the D-League with the Vipers. However, he isn't a project; rather, he just doesn't have much of a role with the Rockets in the big leagues.
The second-rounder out of Arizona has a lot of talent and has gotten some chances to play with Houston. He even hit a game-winner seemingly out of nowhere in an overtime thriller versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, when the Rockets returned to full health, Johnson returned to the valley, where he has done some great things. He's averaging 23.0 points and 5.7 assists per game for Rio Grande.
12. Joey Dorsey
Although Dorsey is still in the NBA, he seems to be the last one off the bench for the Rockets. When Houston signed Josh Smith, it had to cut somebody to keep the roster at 15, and though the Rockets ended up cutting ties with Tarik Black, you have to wonder whether it was because of Dorsey's guaranteed money. After all, while Dwight Howard was out with injury, it was Black who took his spot in the starting lineup, not Dorsey.
Yet Dorsey is still around in a Rockets uniform. The 31-year-old big man doesn't get many minutes, if any on some nights, unless there's some serious garbage time in a blowout. He's proved he can give some quality minutes if necessary, but he shouldn't be much of a factor for the remainder of the season unless someone gets hurt.
11. Isaiah Canaan
Canaan is another player who has fallen victim to the increased depth. He, like Dorsey, only gets to see the floor in garbage minutes. He did not play several times in the past month-and-a-half, and it doesn't look like that's going to change for the time being.
While Beverley was recovering from a nagging hamstring injury, Canaan stepped into the starting role and did a heck of a job. In his nine starts, he averaged 12.6 points and shot 42.9 percent from deep. He's a proven scorer, and he's one guard injury away from getting right back in the rotation.
Injured: Terrence Jones
It's worth noting that Jones is still on the team and in fact alive. He's dealing with mysterious nerve inflammation in his leg, and the recovery process has been long and difficult. Jones was on a roll for the first four games of the year before going down.
Should he return later on this season, it will be interesting to see where he fits in the lineup with the acquisition of Smith and the emergence of Donatas Motiejunas. For now, the Rockets just want him to get healthy and back in NBA condition.
10. Alexey Shved
2 of 11
Points: 3.0
Rebounds: 1.0
Assists: 0.5
*In two games with HOU
We'll give Shved the benefit of the doubt for this edition of the power rankings. The truth is we don't know how much of an impact the Russian guard will have with the team.
After seeing some limited action in his first two games with Houston, Shved went down with a minor ankle injury and has been out ever since. It's hard to say whether he'll get those minutes back once healthy, but I'll assume he will get that opportunity considering he was getting minutes before he got hurt.
For that reason, and that reason only, Shved comes in at No. 10 ahead of Canaan and Dorsey, despite the fact that those two have had legitimate contributions to the team throughout the season.
Shved did have some success while on the miserable Sixers. He averaged nearly 10 points per game in just less than 17 minutes of playing time. He's not a great three-point shooter, but he can slash to the basket and finish at the rim well. Once he's healthy, we'll know for sure whether he can become a key cog in the rotation.
9. Kostas Papanikolaou
3 of 11
Points: 5.1
Rebounds: 3.5
Assists: 2.5
Kostas Papanikolaou's rookie season for the Rockets reminds me of Omri Casspi's last year. Both of them started off the season as key guys off the bench. They're both big forwards who can push the tempo and shoot a decent percentage from downtown.
And like Casspi did last season, Papanikolaou is starting to fall out of the rotation.
Big Papa was a potential sixth-man candidate for Houston early on this year. His unique passing ability and slashing skills made him one of the best facilitators in the second unit. However, like I mentioned earlier, the roster has undergone a makeover, and he is losing playing time as a result.
The 24-year-old from Greece is down to just 15.2 minutes per game in 2015, compared to 26.1 in November, and that includes a couple of blowouts with garbage-time opportunities. It doesn't help Papanikolaou's case that in those minutes he's struggled to get into a rhythm.
For the month of January, the 6'8" point forward is shooting a horrendous 20 percent from the floor. He also has had some trouble taking care of the ball. At this rate, it doesn't look like he is going to get an increase in minutes any time soon. Rather, it could mean the opposite.
8. Jason Terry
4 of 11
Points: 8.2
Rebounds: 1.6
Assists: 2.1
Jason Terry going all the way down at No. 8 is a testament to the Rockets' depth. The 37-year-old vet has been a big part of the bench all season long. His low ranking is not because of his lack of contribution but rather for Houston's ability to replace him.
When Beverley went down with that hamstring and then Canaan rolled his ankle, the Jet stepped into the starting lineup like he wasn't a day over 25. In those four games, he put up 16.5 points and 4.5 assists and shot 50 percent from behind the arc.
Terry has had a strong presence for Houston, especially with his veteran leadership and championship pedigree. When he's not on the floor, he's the team's biggest cheerleader. When he is on the court, you can always count on him to hit a big three and proceed to glide down the runway.
The former Rocket killer is now doing it for the good guys in red and white, and that's a relief.
7. Josh Smith
5 of 11
Points: 10.3
Rebounds: 4.9
Assists: 1.8
*In nine games with HOU
Perhaps no one is under more scrutiny in the NBA than Josh Smith this season. The 6'9" forward was released by the Detroit Pistons in late December, when they decided they would rather pay him $30 million to leave than keep him on the roster. His departure immediately resulted in a seven-game win streak for the Pistons that left NBA fans mesmerized, but that didn't prevent any interest in the sudden immense talent available in the free-agent pool.
According to the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus, many teams entered the Smith sweepstakes, but the Rockets came out on top, reuniting Smoove with childhood friend Dwight Howard. Very rarely will a team pick up as much talent as Smith has, midseason, for such a cheap price as the Rockets did.
Yet it hasn't exactly been a match made in heaven, as expected. Before he even put on a Rockets uniform, there was speculation as to how the 29-year-old loose cannon would mesh in the Rockets' offensive system that preaches efficiency.
So far, Smoove has done a decent job at restraining himself from long jumpers and fadeaway threes, but there's still room for improvement. If he can limit his inefficient tendencies and buy in to the system, then he would become a great fit in Houston. He is great at attacking the basket and is also an underrated passer. But this is all easier said than done, of course.
In his first game, Smith came off the bench and dropped 21 points to go along with eight rebounds in a big upset win over the Grizzlies in Memphis. McHale inserted him into the starting five for the next four matchups, in which the Rockets went 1-3 and Smith failed to score double digits in any of those games.
Since then, Smoove has returned to the second unit, where he is clearly more comfortable. Houston fans will have to watch closely as he continues to get acclimated into the rotation.
6. Corey Brewer
6 of 11
Points: 12.3
Rebounds: 2.1
Assists: 2.2
*In 10 games with HOU
Although Brewer doesn't have the talent to become the third star on this team like Smith does, he does have his advantages. The 6'9" guard out of Florida seems to be a natural fit in the Rockets system, unlike Smith, whose inherent tendencies to shoot from mid-range go against every efficient bone in Morey's body.
Brewer is a solid wing defender who can create steals and get out in transition. He averages over a steal per game and provides an immediate spark off the bench.
With the Timberwolves, Brewer was shooting 19.5 percent from three this year. Since the move to Houston, he is hitting on 42 percent of his attempts, which is drastically better than his 29.7 percent career average.
The 28-year-old guard is playing his role as well as anyone could have hoped for. This trade looks better and better after each game that passes. If Brewer continues to play good defense, shoot the long ball and most importantly absorb some of Harden and Ariza's minutes, he'll be a big part of Houston's playoff run come April.
5. Patrick Beverley
7 of 11
Points: 11.6
Rebounds: 4.8
Assists: 3.2
You either love him or hate him.
Beverley is one of those guys who leaves it all out on the floor and does whatever it takes to win. Sometimes, his antics don't make him a lot of friends, but Houston fans know that he is a crucial part of the Rockets' success.
He has been on and off the court dealing with some injuries, but he's having a career year in Houston when healthy. He is averaging career highs across the board. His scoring and assist totals are up as a result of Jeremy Lin's departure.
Perhaps the most significant increase has been his three-point percentage, which is up to 40 percent on the season. Starting next to Harden, Beverley plays off the ball a lot. While Harden does most of the facilitating, Bev has done a great job of getting open along the perimeter. His catch-and-shoot percentage on threes is at 42 percent, which has been ideal for the Rockets.
There are rumors swirling that Houston is looking for an upgrade at point guard, but that won't deter Beverley. Even if the Rockets get someone to replace him in the starting lineup, he will still be a key contributor, particularly on defense.
Whether he's starting games or finishing them, Beverley is going to do whatever he can to win.
4. Dwight Howard
8 of 11
Points: 17.5
Rebounds: 11.7
Assists: 1.4
Dwight Howard comes in at No. 4 mostly because he has missed an extended amount of time due to injury. The 29-year-old big man missed 11 straight games from November to December with a knee issue.
Now he's back in the lineup, but he hasn't been 100 percent consistent. There are good games and bad games, but there were definitely some glaring flaws in his game upon his return from platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. His post game isn't smooth, not that it ever particularly was, and he struggles holding onto the ball and escaping double-teams.
Despite all of these minor complaints, Howard is still a dominant big man who is averaging a double-double. Tom Haberstroh of ESPN.com illustrates that D12 is still the best in the league at defending the rim, as shooters within two feet of him only connect on 28 percent of their tries.
As much as Howard wants to dominate on both ends of the floor, the Rockets are much better off when he focuses on defense. The offense breaks down when Houston feeds him in the post. The flow is significantly better when the offense runs through Harden or even Motiejunas. Howard can get his touches here and there, but he should never be the primary scoring option on the floor.
At defense, he's the best in the business. It's the other end of the floor where he is struggling quite a bit. The offense will come to him, especially if the Rockets continue to emphasize pick-and-rolls like they have as of late. As a result, the easy dunks and alley-oops will eventually be there.
3. Donatas Motiejunas
9 of 11
Points: 10.6
Rebounds: 5.8
Assists: 1.6
Those of you who have read my articles before know that I am definitely on the D-Mo bandwagon. Motiejunas has just been stellar this season for the Rockets.
After a great summer, D-Mo got off to a bit of a slow start, but now he's in the starting lineup and for good reason. As a starter, he's putting up 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds and shooting over 50 percent from the field. At 7'0" on the dot, his post moves are sensational, and he can hold his own defensively. In fact, he is in the top 10 in field-goal percentage allowed at the rim in the NBA, per Nylon Calculus (using NBA.com tracking stats).
Motiejunas has the tools to be a primary scorer, but he's also good at going with the flow on offense. He doesn't force any bad shots or tough passes, and he keeps the ball moving out along the perimeter. His three-point percentage isn't all that great at 27.3 percent, but he shoots them only within the flow of the offense to maximize efficiency.
Even in the mix with Howard and Smith, D-Mo is perhaps the Rockets' best big man so far this season. Jones' injury, which is of course a tragedy, may have been a bit of a blessing in disguise because it has led to a breakout year for the Lithuanian big man.
2. Trevor Ariza
10 of 11
Points: 12.8
Rebounds: 5.8
Assists: 2.1
As sloppy as Ariza looks on the offensive end, especially since his three-point percentage has dropped dramatically, there is a reason he comes in at No. 2 in the rankings. For Ariza, a lot of his contributions may go unnoticed to the average fan, but that doesn't make them insignificant.
The Rockets are a drastically worse team defensively as soon as Ariza heads to the bench for a breather. That's why he's top five in the league in minutes per game, but that's not all. He's also top five in steals and defensive win shares and top 10 in three-pointers made, per Basketball-Reference.com.
The shooting has been streaky for Ariza, who currently sits at 32 percent. He went 26 straight games shooting under 50 percent from the floor, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Yet it doesn't matter all that much, because his defensive impact is exceptional. He locks down the opposing team's best player night in and night out, regardless of whether that guy is 6 feet or 7 feet tall.
As long as he can hit a couple of threes per game and drive to the basket every once in a while, his value with the Rockets is through the roof.
On a side note, after Chandler Parsons decided to chase stardom in Dallas, he now is the fifth-best starter on the Mavericks after the acquisitions of Tyson Chandler and Rajon Rondo, when he could have been part of the Big Three in Houston. Just saying.
1. James Harden
11 of 11
Points: 26.8
Rebounds: 5.8
Assists: 6.7
This one was inevitable. The Beard is making a convincing case for the MVP award.
Not only is he leading the league in scoring, but he is contributing in all facets of the game, and as a result the Rockets are a top team in the brutal Western Conference. Harden is a triple-double threat every night, averaging well above his career averages in assists and rebounds.
The most surprising aspect of Harden's season, however, has been his complete 180 turnaround on defense. Per Basketball-Reference.com, the Beard is top three in defensive win shares, and his increase in effort on that end of the floor is evident. He is playing the passing lanes and closing out on shooters, and he can even body up on bigger guys in the post.
He has done everything you can ask for from one player. Especially in crunch time, Harden has delivered many times in the clutch. He ranks third in the NBA in points scored down the stretch of close games, behind two former MVPs in LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
The Rockets have gone through some tough stretches due to injuries. At one point, the team was without three starters and a makeshift starter on top of that, and still the Rockets were able to win thanks to Harden. When Howard missed 11 games with a bad knee, the Beard led Houston to an 8-3 record against teams such as Memphis, Dallas and Phoenix.
With or without his full supporting cast, Harden has consistently lit up the scoreboard across the entire stat sheet. His offense is the best in the NBA, and his defense is clearly on the rise. Behind the Beard, good things could be on the way in H-Town.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
