The Houston Rockets entered the 2017 season with very low expectations following a highly disappointing 2016 campaign. Last year Houston finished 41-41 and barely snagged the 8 seed heading into the playoffs, which obviously meant playing the 73 win Warriors in the first round. Though they stole a game in that series, the Rockets were easily dispatched of even with Steph Curry being banged up for the entirety of the series. Because of this terrible season, Houston said goodbye to perennial All-Star Dwight Howard, and went out and signed Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson for massive contracts under the old CBA, but reasonable ones with the new CBA.
While these were under the radar moves, they were in no way guaranteed to make an improvement record wise. Gordon has proven to be a great pickup. The former Pelican’s guard was acquired for his shooting prowess, but I don’t think anyone expected him to be healthy for 72 games, when he’s seemingly missed huge portions of every other recent season. Gordon rode that health to 238 made 3s off the bench, which only trailed Harden on the team. Ryan Anderson, the other big Rockets’ signing, was arguably a bigger pickup than Gordon despite “only” making 188 threes. Anderson provided spacing, like Gordon, that Harden and the Rockets were unable to get last year with Howard clogging the middle of the paint constantly(and refusing the do pick and rolls).
The Rockets team as a whole the single season three point record with 1119 made 3s, a record that was previously held by last years Warriors squad, thanks in large part to the new additions to the 2017 addition of Houston’s squad that are much better shooters as a whole compared to last seasons team. Lou Williams was yet another under the radar, great move by GM Daryl Morey. With Williams, the Rockets are essentially guaranteed that the 6th man of the year will come from their team.
While making the playoffs is great, aside from the run to the Conference Finals a few years ago, playoff success has been hard to come by in recent years. Anything less than a Conference Semifinals appearance would be a complete disappointment for the Rockets. If their threes are falling and Harden doesn’t collapse, Houston should be able to do just that.