The Houston Rockets is bound to score a lot of points in the 2016-17 NBA season and they have all the tools to make that happen. In the preseason, the Rockets have shown that they can score in bunches. They currently have a 5-1 record and averages 121.83 points per game.
Preseason stats does not really carry over to the regular season because there's not much defense played and regular rotation guys don't play many minutes. However, what the Rockets have shown offensively is very promising especially in the case of James Harden. The Rockets can go as far as Harden can take them. They made the playoffs every year but were never regarded as a championship contender.
In the offseason, the Rockets hired 2004-05 NBA Coach of the Year Mike D'Antoni. D'Antoni led the Phoenix Suns to as far as the Western Conference finals with 2-time MVP and future Hall of Famer Steve Nash running the show.
This time, D'Antoni will have Harden run his offense and he is optimistic that Harden will make the most out of it. "He does some things that are incredible. His strength and his ability to see and finish, he can be one of the best pick-and-roll players ever," said D'Antoni to the Houston Chronicle.
Shortly after the hiring of D'Antoni, the Rockets parted ways with Dwight Howard. Howard showed an unwillingness to just settle setting screens for Harden and his teammates. He wanted the ball but with Harden around, it didn't happen as much as he wanted to.
The Rockets have surrounded Harden with more shooters and now have a group of big men who are happy to just set screens and make him do the playmaking. Clint Capela and Hilario Nene will now man the middle while Trevor Ariza and Corey Brewer will be the wingmen. Houston will also have more floor spacing with the addition of Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon.
Zach Lowe of ESPN.COM predicted that Houston will finish second in points per possession in the upcoming season, falling behind only to powerhouse Golden State Warriors. He also predicted that they will again break the record for most 3-pointers attempted in a single season. They set the record in the 2014-15 with 2,680 attempts and also took more than 2,500 attempts last season.
It is still uncertain if the Rockets can live up to their potential. They will have to prove it in the regular season. Their first test will be on Oct. 26, 2016, when they play the Lakers at Staples center.
