The Rockets took down the Warriors on Saturday night in a thriller in Houston that suggested the West’s No. 2 team just might be the first to really test Golden State for conference supremacy this season. Chris Paul’s signing this past offseason is the change most point to as the biggest difference between this year’s Rockets and last year’s team, but if you ask Warriors’ star Kevin Durant Houston’s improvement goes beyond just the addition of the superstar point guard.
The Houston Rockets are only 3.5 games behind the Warriors for not only the best record in the Western Conference, but also the entire NBA. They’ve managed to survive week-long stretches without either Chris Paul or James Harden in the lineup, but when Paul, Harden and Clint Capela are in the lineup together Houston is a ridiculous 17-0.
According to Kevin Durant, what makes the Rockets special is more than just the two-headed monster of Paul and Harden, but the entire collective that GM Daryl Morey brought together this season. Durant explained to the media after a 116-108 loss on Saturday to the Rockets, that what makes the Rockets different is their attention to detail on the defensive end and the improvement of guys like Capela.
Via ESPN’s Chris Haynes:
“They’re very tough,” Durant said. “I really like this team, I really like their coach, they got a good home crowd. I think the difference between them last year and this year — obviously, everybody I know, everyone is going to say CP, but they’re just playing harder. I feel like they’re playing harder on the defensive side of the ball, I feel like they’ve got versatile defenders. [Clint] Capela has gotten better. It’s just more than CP. They’re doing a good job of meshing together.”
The improved focus on the defensive side is evident for the Rockets as the team finished in the bottom half of the NBA in defensive efficiency last season. The team appears to buy in more of the defensive end, as Houston has risen to 12th in defensive rating this season thanks to .
This defensive effort has clearly had an effect on the regular season matchup against the Warriors as the Rockets have taken the season series. But it’s just regular season basketball, the next time these two teams meet will be the true litmus test on the composition of both teams. Because it’ll be a best of seven series between the two, and it’ll likely be for a trip to the NBA Finals.
