Fansided

5 reasons the Houston Rockets can win the NBA Championship

By Ian Levy

HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 30: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets greets fans on the way to the locker room after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center on March 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 30: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets greets fans on the way to the locker room after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center on March 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
HOUSTON, TX – MARCH 28: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets warms up prior to the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 28, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – MARCH 28: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets warms up prior to the game against the Denver Nuggets on March 28, 2019 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Clint Capela

The Rockets are 16-4 in the 20 games since Capela got healthy and rejoined the rotation. His lob-catching, vertical spacing and interior defense add an entirely different element to the Rockets and they simply aren’t at their best without him on the floor. In this 20-game stretch that has them surging back towards the top of the Western Conference, Capela has made more than two-thirds of his field goal attempts and is averaging 12.7 rebounds per game.

Capela’s mobility and reach on the interior is something teams like the Warriors and Nuggets don’t really have an answer for. They can devote the resources to swallowing him up but it means less attention they can pay to the Rockets’ elite ball-handlers and shooters.

Home/Houston Rockets