[ESPN] 5-on-5: Is Houston a Title Contender?

Surprisingly, all of the analysts believe the Rockets are contenders this season, which I'm still on the fence about. I didn't realize Dwight was putting up almost 20 and 15 for December...

Also talks about Indiana, Miami, and the Bulls.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-131218/espn-doubleheader

5. Fact or Fiction: Houston is a title contender this season.

McGuire: Fact, although this one is entirely dependent on your definition of "contender." I define it as a team that has a reasonably visible path to the Finals. The Rockets' defense is concerning, but their offense is -- while not entertaining -- blisteringly effective at its peak and their best players are young. Playoff surprises aren't out of the question. The Rockets aren't a favorite, but they're in the conversation.

Oliver: Fact. They are a bit vulnerable right now to good passing teams and have the lingering Omer Asik situation. But James Harden is a tremendous talent who can leverage teammates on the offensive side and you can build a great defense around Howard, who takes care of so many problems around the basket.

Strauss: Fact. It's hard to imagine this youthful, boisterous crew actually winning, but the Rockets present formidable advantages. They buy themselves a wide margin of error by shooting a ton of 3s and rebounding the ball. As we've seen when they played San Antonio and Golden State, Houston's 4-out, 1-in approach tends to kill defenses that rely on slower power forwards. While their defense hasn't lived up to expectations, it's still a top-10 unit with a lot of potential. If that weren't enough for "contender" status, the Omer Asik stakes should also net this team a valuable piece or two.

Sunnergren: Fact. The Rockets have been a minor disappointment in 2013-14, but once James Harden's triples start dropping with greater regularity (he's shooting a career-low 31.2 percent on 3-pointers) and Daryl Morey flips Omer Asik for what promises to be a haul, Houston should be ready to launch. And don't sleep on this: Dwight Howard is back. In December, he's averaging 19.3 points and 15 rebounds.

Wallace: Fact. But I reserve a slight bit of judgment until I see what the Rockets get in exchange for Omer Asik. The West, as we've seen, is wide open this season. There are as many as six teams that have a legitimate shot to reach the NBA Finals. It would be foolish to prematurely count Dwight Howard and James Harden out of that mix.