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Houston Rockets Playoff Primer: How Far Can James Harden Take Them?

By Ryan Magdziarz

Mar 31, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 21, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Rockets defeated the Suns 125-111. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Rockets defeated the Suns 125-111. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Best-Case Scenario

The best-case scenario for a team that is the league’s biggest wild card this postseason is to win an NBA championship. If the Houston Rockets continue to play on both ends like they have been this whole season (2nd ORTG – 17 DRTG), that is a formula for meeting up with the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals to seek their revenge from 2015.

If we’re being honest with each other, I like how Houston matches up against the Warriors. They have the potential to out score them any night, which maybe one other team in the league can say. You’re fighting fire with fire. In their four games against Golden State this season, they averaged 113 points per game. The Warriors are 2nd in the league in defensive rating and only allow 104 ppg. Only 16 times out of 82 did the Warriors allow an opponent to score more than 113 points on them, while the Rockets averaged that every time they played each other.

If the Houston Rockets get into a groove late in the playoffs, they could enter the WCF playing solid defense on the perimeter while continuing to rip nets from behind the arc. Best case scenario, they could very well trump their biggest test of the season in seven games, and head to the NBA finals to play a weaker matchup.

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