Does a healthy Dwight Howard make Houston Rockets a legit title contender?

Dwight Howard has been hindered by injuries all season, but he is back in time for the playoffs and Western Conference foes should be worried.

The Houston Rockets ailing center is expected to make his much-awaited return after a 26-game absence. All-Star center Dwight Howard, known by fans as Superman, has spent the majority of the season sidelined with injuries.

Fortunately for Rockets fans, a new superstar has risen in MVP candidate James Harden. Rather than a cape, he dons the most popular beard in America. Instead of dominating opponents as an elite post presence, he leaves defenders mystified with an array of crossovers, step-back threes and a euro step that is unmatched.

His uncanny ability to breakdown defenders has him leading the league with 698 free-throw attempts, a mere 159 more than the next guy on the list, and has led to countless embarrassed defenders.

Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves is just one of his latest victims.

This man is James Harden, and he has single-handedly led the injury-riddled Houston Rockets to third place in the vaunted Western Conference.

Harden ranks first among all shooting guards in points per game with 27.2 and assists per game with 7.0, but his most important contribution to the Rockets playoff hopes has been a newfound dedication on the defensive end.

His horrendous defense became the subject of jokes, GIFs and YouTube compilations throughout last season, and The Beard took notice, coming out this year with an emphasis on defense. The results have paid off immensely. He ranks sixth in the league in steals with 1.90 per game and has established himself as an elite perimeter defender.

This tribute should silence any doubters of Harden’s new-and-improved defensive prowess:

As incredible has Harden has been in Howard’s absence, he cannot single-handedly carry this team to an NBA championship. The Rockets have received significant help from two midseason additions, Josh Smith and Corey Brewer.

Brewer is known as a defensive specialist, but it is his offensive play that has been making waves recently. The 6-foot-8 swingman nearly carried Houston to a comeback win last week with a 17-point fourth quarter, and that is just one instance of the offensive spark he can bring to the table.

Smith, meanwhile, has provided Houston with a defensive presence in the paint with Howard on the bench. With one of the league’s elite rim protectors returning to the lineup tonight, expect block parties at the Toyota Center for many nights to come.

The Rockets do face one slight problem.

Starting point guard Patrick Beverley appears to be out for the season with a wrist injury suffered during Monday’s 110-100 win over the Indiana Pacers. Houston is going to miss Beverley’s tenacity on defense, as well as his knack for getting under opponents’ skin without a doubt. However, James Harden is a ball-dominant superstar, so do not expect the void at point guard to devastate the streaking Rockets.

Houston has become Harden’s team for the better, and according to USA Today, Harden and Howard are completely on the same page with that.

"“I definitely needed to hear that, so right there that gave me all the confidence in the world, not to try to force it to get him into a rhythm or try to do anything forceful,” Harden said. “I can just play my game. Him telling me that just gave me the green light to just go out there and just be the James Harden that I’ve been being all season.”"

One more injury could absolutely be the dagger for this team, but if Harden, Howard and the Rockets bench starts clicking on all cylinders at the right time, watch out. The Houston Rockets just might become the most dangerous team in the NBA this postseason.

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