In the past six days, the Houston Rockets have beaten the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The victories over Miami and Portland were both nail-biters, but the Indiana game was the complete opposite.
After being beat by 30 against Indiana, Houston wasn’t going to let that happen again. Houston absolutely destroyed Indiana, being up by 30+ points at various points in the game. James Harden was on fire that game, and you could tell this was not just another game to him.
When Miami came to town, it came down to the wire. But Houston was able to get the stops when it really counted.
And how about that game against the Blazers. Down by 10 with about four minutes left in the game, Houston fought back. They knew they needed to win this game knowing it could be a playoff matchup. Of course James Harden led the way, but Houston was also able to get a flashback of Linsanity. Point guard Jeremy Lin played outstanding this game, playing a huge role in the comeback and finishing with 26 points.
After these past few games, you have to start considering this Rocket team legitimate contenders in the NBA’s Western Conference. Earlier in the year, they would not have been ready for these powerhouse matchups. Now, the team has gelled and they are ready the spotlight. James Harden and Dwight Howard have playoff experience as both players have already appeared in the NBA Finals. With these two players leading the way, I will not be surprised at all if this team is representing the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
While the Rockets have done very well in this tough stretch, it is not over yet. The Rockets will be taking trips to Oklahoma City, Chicago and Miami for their next three games. All three of these games are marqee matchups, but the game against OKC is the biggest game for this team. Oklahoma City has had Houston’s number since last year, and the Rockets really need to win this game. James Harden would love a victory against his former team. As well, if the Rockets can win this game, they will be just 1.5 games out of the #1 seed in the conference.
The Rockets are finally starting to get the league’s attention. And with how they’ve been playing, no one should want to play them come playoff time.
You just have to love what’s going on in Houston. With this only being Harden’s second year there and Dwight Howard’s first, this team is one to be reckoned with for years to come. Mark my words, Houston will be in the Western Conference Finals. You heard it here first.
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Main Photo Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports
