Houston Rockets
X-factor: Robert Covington
If you remember, the Houston Rockets shifted to an extreme small-ball philosophy when they elected to trade Clint Capela at the NBA Trade Deadline. That means that the addition of Robert Covington will have to prove all the more valuable for the team when the playoffs begin. If Covington isn’t playing a big role for this team, I have a hard time believing the Rockets will make a deep playoff run.
In the 14 games he played with the Rockets (after the trade), Covington was averaging 13 points and six rebounds on 42 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. If the Rockets are going to be dark horse contenders in the Western Conference, they’re going to need someone more to step up than just James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Eric Gordon.
Covington could be that player. And the Orlando restart bubble could offer the perfect opportunity for the two-way standout.