Rockets NBA Picks
The Houston Rockets were shocked last season when the Portland Trail Blazers sent them packing in the first round of the playoffs. This is a championship-or-bust kind of roster, and while that mentality hasn’t changed, the team now has a lot more to prove following a disappointing first-round exit.
2014-15 Houston Rockets
Western Conference
2013-14 Record: 54-28 (33-8 @ Home) .659
Odds to win Title: 18 to 1
Odds to win Conference: 8 to 1[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Unfortunately for the Rockets, life isn’t getting any easier. A few key losses (not to mention a few key misses in free agency) hardly help this group’s chances, but as tough as the Western Conference is, Clutch City can hold onto the fact that it has two players who are arguably the best at their position leading the way.
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Rockets Key Losses
Chandler Parsons – The Rockets have a number of losses of focus on, but none was more crucial than the loss of Chandler Parsons. The 25-year-old (26 in October) signed a big-time deal with the rival Dallas Mavericks, meaning his sharp shooting will now belong to Mark Cuban’s group.
Jeremy Lin – Jeremy Lin has become an easy target for fans across the league. We saw when happened when Linsanity hit the scene, but since then, he’s become an average or below-average point guard making near superstar money.
All that said, Lin was a floor general who still has potential to turn it around, so long as he avoids mistakes. Now the Rockets will never get the chance to see what he can do, as they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.
Omer Asik – It’s a shame that Omer Asik never worked out in Houston. We knew as soon as the team acquired Dwight Howard that things would be tight in the middle, but if the two big men had been able to play together in the Rockets’ system, they could have created for one of the most lethal defensive tandems in the entire NBA.
Rockets Top Newcomers
Trevor Ariza – Trevor Ariza won’t move the needle much for fans across the league (especially considering the team swung and missed on LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh), but he’ll be a solid 3-and-D presence on a roster that needs it. Houston will enjoy his three-point shooting; it will absolutely love (and need) his defensive abilities on the perimeter.
Rockets Top Players
James Harden – This roster comes down to two players. Let’s start with James Harden.
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Harden has established himself as one of the most productive 2-guards in the league — if not the best. He takes a lot of flack for his defense (and rightfully so), but he nearly makes up for it with impressive scoring bursts, a killer jump shot and the ability to get to the rim anytime he wants.
Dwight Howard – Dwight Howard still has detractors who disapproved of the way he handled his departure in Orlando (and some who just enjoyed watching him flop as a Laker), but he’s entering a season that should be his first at 100 percent health in quite some time. Chances are, he re-establishes himself as the best center in the game.
Rockets Strengths
Shooting/Pace – The Houston Rockets played the fifth-fastest pace in the NBA last season, but what’s impressive is that they were efficient while doing it. Not only did this team average the second-most points of any squad across the Association, but it did it while producing the fourth-best offensive efficiency and the second-highest True Shooting Percentage.
Rockets Weaknesses
Defense – Although swapping Parsons out for Ariza will be considered a loss in the eyes of most fans, this is a move that actually helps this squad improve on defense.
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Although Howard should still be considered an elite defender, he’s the only player on this roster who can currently make that claim. Patrick Beverley could move into that category if he plays consistently, but watching him in the playoffs this past season exposed him as a notch or two below greatness.
This team was 12th in terms of defensive efficiency last season, which was likely the difference in that Round 1 loss to Portland.
Rockets 2014 Betting Prediction
When it comes to the Rockets, fans and analysts have a tendency to reach drastically one way or the other. That’s what happens when you’re a team with stars that underachieves, and while it might not be fair, it’s a way of life in such a star-driven league.
As a result, look for the Rockets’ odds to fluctuate throughout the year. At this juncture, the championship odds seem a bit high, but game-to-game odds could drop well below where you might expect if the team struggles at any point throughout the year.
Keep an eye on the Rockets as an intriguing bet this year, but don’t count them out as a team with potential to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs. Anywhere between fourth and eighth makes sense for this squad, but the former should be closer to what we see when the regular season comes to a close.
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