Even though the Houston Rockets have flied pretty high this season, they have also been surrounded by a lot of injuries. Dwight Howard just returned from a 26-game absence, and everything in the team was looking fine until the news about Patrick Beverley arrived. It is reported that the point-guard will miss the rest of the regular season and playoffs after having surgery on his left wrist.
Even though Beverley is not among the Rockets’ stars, his defensive presence shouldn’t be underestimated. James Harden is the main guy in Houston, leading the team in their quest for a championship, but Beverley was the one bringing defensive stability on the perimeter. The Rockets have depth at the point guard position, as Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni will most likely fill the void decently. However, they lack the intensity with which Beverley played.
Nevertheless, Daryl Morey, the Rockets general manager, has stated that he expects his team to lift the NBA championship title at the end of the season. In his opinion, Beverley’s absence will be a negative thing, but it won’t stop the Rockets from winning it all.
“We think we can win the title with or without Beverley,” Morey said. “Obviously it gets more challenging without Beverley; he’s the key to our ability to guard a lot of these very good point guards in the West.”
Furthermore, Morey stated that the Golden State Warriors are the favorites to win the title this year, thanks to the magnificent job Steve Kerr has done. He continued by saying that, even though, the Warriors are favorites, he feels the Rockets can beat anyone in a seven-game series.
Nevertheless, is it really possible for the Rockets to beat everyone and win the title? Even though they have James Harden and Dwight Howard, it’s a bit hard to say that the Rockets are a main contender for the championship. The team is currently in second place in the West, but it’s very likely that the Grizzlies will regain it, and Houston will finish the regular season on the third spot. If this happens, the chances of a first-round battle between the Rockets and the Spurs happening is very possible. When you look at this matchup, do you think that Houston can defeat the defending champions in a seven game series? In my opinion, the Spurs will find a way to defeat them and quickly end their title aspirations.
It is a bit hard to tell whether the Houston Rockets are legitimate contenders. On paper, they have what it takes to go deep in the playoffs, but in reality things are a bit different. Dwight Howard isn’t the explosive player he used to be, and now the team lost its primary perimeter defender in the face of Patrick Beverly. The way I see it, the Rockets won’t be able to compete for a title.
NBA News: Patrick Beverley to miss the remainder of the season. Can the Houston Rockets win it all?
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