Fansided

5 reasons the Houston Rockets can win the NBA Championship

By Jeremy Lambert

Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley (2) reacts against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Rockets won 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley (2) reacts against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Rockets won 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni reacts after a call during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni reacts after a call during the third quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Mike D’Antoni adjusts

The knock on D’Antoni’s system is that it isn’t sustainable in the playoffs. It works in the regular season because you’re playing a different team every night, flaws are easier to hide, and matchups aren’t as easy to expose. It fails in the postseason because opposing coaches adjust their schemes and dissect every matchup.

Rockets fans, skip this next line. It’s not something you want to read: D’Antoni has one playoff win in ten years.

Granted, none of those teams were as good as the one he has now, but the knock remains the same. Can he adjust when teams are able to slow the game down? With the way the playoffs are currently set-up, James Harden is going to see a murder’s row of defenders in the West: Andre Roberson, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson/Andre Iguodala. These guys can not only prevent Harden from scoring, they can blow up offensive sets with their pressure, length, and athleticism.

On top of the defenders Harden will see, D’Antoni is going to come up against a tough line of coaches. Billy Donovan proved himself to be a well-equipped coach who can adjust and exploit matchups in last years playoffs, Greg Popovich is Greg Popovich, and Steve Kerr has four All-Stars.

The playoffs are all about adjustments. D’Antoni’s track record doesn’t show that he knows how to do anything more than he’s used to doing. But you don’t stick around in the league as long as D’Antoni has without having a couple of tricks up your sleeve. Or, maybe I’m just being hopelessly optimistic.