{"id":32029,"date":"2020-07-15T10:00:50","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T14:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=32029"},"modified":"2020-07-15T05:58:10","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T09:58:10","slug":"eric-gordon-houston-rockets-x-factor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2020\/07\/15\/eric-gordon-houston-rockets-x-factor\/","title":{"rendered":"Eric Gordon is the Houston Rockets’ X-Factor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Standing 6\u20193\u201d and weighing 215 lbs., Eric Gordon<\/a><\/strong> is a powerfully built guard. His stocky frame allows him to play a physical brand of basketball even though his stature may be less than ideal for his position, the shooting guard. Sure, if he were a true point guard his height would be great. His size and strength would allow him to move smaller point guards around the way Tim Hardaway<\/a><\/strong> used to over twenty years ago. However, it’s because he\u2019s matched up against players two to four inches taller on a nightly basis that his former Clippers\u2019 teammate, Marcus Camby, gave him the nickname \u201cThe Hobbit.\u201d<\/a> Just like the Hobbit, Gordon is undersized yet powerful; if the Houston Rockets<\/a> are going to win the title, Eric Gordon must come up big when it matters most.<\/p>\n

Houston Rockets’ X-Factor Eric Gordon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another Solid Season for Eric Gordon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In his twelfth season, Gordon is putting up great numbers and contributing to a Houston team that nobody wants to face in the playoffs. Though his points per game might be down a little from last season, it is important to note that he underwent a knee procedure in November<\/a> that caused him to miss a significant portion of the season.\u00a0 Gordon has bounced back nicely. A 50 point outburst against the Utah Jazz<\/a>, in the absence of James Harden<\/a><\/strong> and Russell Westbrook<\/a><\/strong>, serves as evidence.<\/p>\n

After the game<\/a> he told reporters:<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m getting back to being myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a sentiment shared by coach Mike D\u2019Antoni, who told the Associated Press:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be ups and downs like all the others, but Eric is going to be good. As long as he\u2019s not hurting, he\u2019s going to be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eric Gordon’s Role on the Team<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The role D\u2019Antoni wants Gordon to fill is one played by key players on championship teams of years past. In 1983, the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> became the first team in NBA history to only lose one game in the postseason. Most people remember Moses Malone<\/a><\/strong> and Julius Erving<\/a><\/strong>, however, there was a third player whose scoring prowess and clutch shooting ability earned him an All-Star nod that season and the nickname \u201cThe Boston Strangler,\u201d Andrew Toney<\/a><\/strong>. Like that Sixers team, the Rockets expect their two superstars to carry the bulk of the load. However, they’re banking on their third option being the difference in close games. An X-factor who’s not afraid to take big shots has proven to be a key component to winning an NBA title. It\u2019s a role the Rockets believe Eric Gordon is ready to play for them this season.<\/p>\n

Why This Year is Different<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fans may be asking \u201cDidn\u2019t Houston have a superstar back-court not long ago? Didn\u2019t they pair Chris Paul<\/a><\/strong> and James Harden together and end up with the best regular-season record in the league?\u201d The answer is yes. However, there are a few key differences in this version of the Rockets that makes Gordon\u2019s role as the third scoring option easier to facilitate then back when Harden\u2019s backcourt mate was Paul as opposed to Westbrook. First, Harden and Westbrook fit together better than Harden and Paul because Westbrook moves without the ball better than Paul. Chris Paul is a true point guard and Russell Westbrook is a hybrid point guard-shooting guard. Westbrook is fine if he can attack the paint once he gets his hands on the ball. Paul, on the other hand, needed the ball in his hands to be most effective; alongside the ball-dominant Harden that wasn\u2019t always possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow does this affect Gordon?\u201d one may ask. Well, the role of a spot-up shooter is one that Gordon is comfortable playing. While he can put the ball on the floor, he\u2019s also comfortable being a catch and shoot player. With D\u2019Antoni going all-in on the \u201csmall ball\u201d philosophy, he now has the option to play a three-guard lineup at different stretches of the game if he so chooses. His two starting guards will attack the defense off the dribble. His third option, Gordon, knows how to find the open spaces and be ready to catch and shoot the ball.<\/p>\n

How a Houston Title Would Affect Other Teams<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Back in 2015, when discussing the Golden State Warriors<\/a>, TNT Analyst Charles Barkley<\/a><\/strong> famously said<\/a> that a jump-shooting team would never win the NBA championship. The Warriors famously made \u201cChuck\u201d eat those words as they won their first title since 1975 that season. Soon, the rest of the NBA began hoisting threes at an unprecedented rate; the three-point shot is a bigger part of the game now than ever before in the history of basketball. Seeing how teams often engage in \u201ccopycat basketball\u201d and follow the models of teams that beat them to a championship begs the question, \u201cIf Eric Gordon and the Rockets win this year\u2019s title, will other teams embrace small ball?\u201d If Houston wins this year’s championship, will other teams start games with no one over 6\u20196\u201d in the lineup? Only time will tell.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hobbit\u201d has already shown he’s not afraid of big playoff moments that can decide a game’s outcome. Back in the 2018 Western Conference Finals, with the series tied at two games apiece, Gordon came up big, scoring 24 points\u00a0<\/a>and making a key stop on the defensive side of the ball against Draymond Green<\/a><\/strong>. And, after being fouled with under three seconds left, he calmly stepped to the charity stripe and knocked down two free-throws to give Houston a four-point lead, making it a two-possession game. Helping Houston secure wins by making big plays down the stretch in the playoffs is something he\u2019s going to have to do if the team is going to win the title this year. The good news for the Rockets is Gordon has already shown he\u2019s up for the challenge.<\/p>\n

The Clock is Ticking on this Group<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cWhy is it so important for Houston to win the title this year?\u201d some may ask. The fact is, Houston\u2019s core is not young by NBA standards; they\u2019re all at least thirty years old, with Gordon being thirty-one. Everyone could return if they don’t win the title, though history has shown that’s not always true. Back in the late aughts, the Boston Celtics<\/a> were the best team in the league. They won the 2008 championship in the first season of the Big Three era. However, Kevin Garnett<\/a><\/strong> suffered a season-ending injury before the 2009 postseason; Kendrick Perkins<\/a><\/strong> suffered an injury that kept him out of Game 7 of the 2010 Finals. This turn of events stopped that team from being able to truly defend their title. Gordon and the Rockets must learn a lesson from history. Anything can happen. They must enter this postseason with the mindset that it\u2019s now or never.<\/p>\n

Before the start of this season, Eric Gordon signed a three-year extension with Houston, with a team option for the fourth year.\u00a0He has stated he wants to retire a Rocket<\/a>; the question is what will his legacy be when he finally hangs it up for good? If he\u2019s able to help the team win a championship this season, he will join the likes of Kenny Smith<\/a><\/strong>, Sam Cassell<\/a><\/strong>, Robert Horry<\/a>,<\/strong> and Mario Elie<\/strong><\/a>, rotation players who played key roles in helping the team reach the promised land. These role players are all a part of Rockets\u2019 lore. Although not considered stars, they weren’t afraid to step up in big moments when it was their turn to make an impact. If history is any indication, Eric Gordon has the same mindset and he\u2019ll be ready when his number is called.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>