(All stats and records through Jan. 14; for report cards for all 30 teams click here.)
Offense: 112.6, 2nd Overall
Defense: 104.9, 14th Overall
W-L | Pct. | GB
30-11 | .732 | 3.5
Conf.: 17-6
Div.: 5-2
Home: 15-6
Road: 15-5
FRONTCOURT: B+
Clint Capela is a walking double-double and one of the best rim finishers in the game. Trevor Ariza is one of the most underrated two-way players in the game. Ryan Anderson’s scoring and shooting numbers are down from a year ago.
BACKCOURT: A
Injuries have been an issue for both James Harden and Chris Paul at one time or another, but they are without doubt one of the most lethal backcourt duos the league has ever seen.
DEFENSE: B
Mike D’Antoni coached teams aren’t usually praised for their work on the defensive end. But these Rockets have held up there and developed an identity as a group capable of getting stops when needed. And a stifling offense almost always serves its defense well.
BENCH: A
Eric Gordon, and not Paul, is the second leading scorer this season. PJ Tucker has fit right in as undersized-but-potent energy big. Nene, Luc Mbah Moute and Tarik Black provide quality frontcourt depth along with a change-of-pace presence for the deep-shooting first unit.
COACHING: A
D’Antoni doesn’t have to carry his Coach of the Year credentials around with him. The work he’s done transforming the way the Rockets play was evident from opening tip on opening night, when the Rockets spoiled ring night for the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Rockets roll no matter who is healthy and in uniform on a given night.
OVERALL GRADE: A
Like any real contender, the measure of this season for the Rockets will come in the spring and perhaps into the early summer. When they were cruising along on that 14-game win streak deep into December, the talk turned to whether or not they were ready to seriously challenge the Warriors in the postseason. We won’t know for sure until they actually meet up in the playoffs.
What we do know is that they shouldn’t fade in these playoffs with Harden and Paul healthy and in a groove. The two-headed point guard monster has as good as advertised, even with the injury hiccups that would have normally set a team back. Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who has admitted to his obsession with beating the Warriors, just might get his wish.
Sekou Smith is a veteran NBA reporter and NBA TV analyst. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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