Houston Rockets Season Review - 2017 CSL CHAMPS!

[KW]

After years of coming up short, the Rockets have finally climbed to the top of the CSL world after a Game 7 win over the Detroit Pistons in the CSL Finals. Led by James Harden, who averaged 35ppg in the regular season, and 37.5ppg in the postseason, while playing all five positions and regularly starting anywhere from 1-4. Harden started at power forward for most of the playoff run.

The Rockets' record of 69-13 may insinuate a smooth ride to the playoffs, but that wasn't the case. Harden went out in the 5th game of the season with a broken wrist, and missed more than a month- 20 games in total. In the middle of this stretch, second-leading scorer Thaddeus Young tore his MCL after just 17 games played averaging over 19 points per game, ruling him out for the remainder of the season. The Rockets had to play 8 games in December without their two leading scorers, but still went 6-2 behind some huge performances from Kenneth Faried, and the rest of the team.

Once Harden came back, the Rockets took a little while to get back into a rhythm, but once they did, they did it in style. From January 24th until March 14th, the Rockets went on a perfect 24-0 streak only to have it punctuated by the Sacramento Kings. The Rockets won 38 of the final 41 games of the regular season. James Harden won MVP averaging more than a point per minute backed by an incredible supporting cast...

Then the playoffs started and the Rockets dropped the first two home games to the 8th seed Spurs without Kevin Durant. All seemed to be lost and the Rockets seemed destined to be the laughingstock of the league after such a great regular season. Then came the dominance Rockets fans hoped to see. They won four straight including a 50-point game 5 victory, then delivered a sweep the Wolves, starting with a 153-110 beatdown that saw Harden score a career high 67.

Then the Sacramento Kings happened. A grueling seven game series in which no team ever won two in a row. The Kings were able to limit Harden for the vast majority of the series until Game 7, where he put up 45 and helped the Rockets to a 32 point win, advancing the Rockets to the Finals for the first time.

They were met with the Pistons who gave the biggest scare yet. Every game of the entire series outside of game 6 was a close affair (Harden put up 56 in this one), and home court advantage proved to be a deciding factor. Between Game 1 of the WCF until Game 6 of the Finals, the Rockets alternated wins and losses. Game 7 finally broke the pattern with a 114-105 win that saw Harden put up just 26, but a hobbled Kenneth Faried was able to seal the deal with a big time 20/10 game.

The Rockets will go into the offseason as they always do- looking to improve the roster- but they have a formula that works, and some big pieces to move around in order to solidify it.

[NuggOlesk]

You have the Iguodala & Gortat FA. Mostly Iguodala, if you get him back, you have a stronger team than this year. You didn't use Gortat much in late BUT you will have Young coming back, so you should have a nice safe road to Finals again!
Great season!
You build a team, one of the high salary guys get injured, you still win it all!

[dapralbe]

Variety of position and superstar get dream of biz win all without pg lol. Years ago he always believe in this idea. But high usage and touches in harden pf is great to open court for the rest of players with harden near the basket and give out or playing with inside mans too (aminu,faried) he has a complete roster but this year hard cap is 90 million. I believe that he can get retain iguodala two years more and renounce gortat contract that in this versatile system and roster don't have sense a pure center with 10 million contract. Millsap can play very good in a c position is versatile too, aminu pf too and thaddeus young sf pf. Probably they try trade aminu with another young for a true pg next season? I don't know.

[emplep7]

Congrats again man and at least it was an entertaining Finals matchup. You did a good job of adjusting throughout the entire playoff run and it paid off in the end. I'm preparing to see you again next year with you having an ever stronger team.

[StOfTheStep]

Congrats man! Great season, glad to see it finally played out well for a top notch GM like yourself!

[Mattybriand]

Great job brother!!! Congrats can't wait to see the new design for the banner

[Dennis]

congratz

[blackice]

Congrats!

[Rob]

Congrats on a great season Biz!

[WillyJakkz]

Great run and write-up.

I see the Rockets losing Iguodala in FA which will change the team dynamic even with Thad returning.

If that happens then the challenge of repeating will be incredibly tough.

Can't wait for the new banner congrats!!!

[Sun Scorched]

Well, the problem with being the champs is that everyone is gunning for you! Haha! That includes free agency.

[lakeshowak7]

Congrats.

Time to trade Harden and win with another superstar.

[dapralbe]

Congrats.

Time to trade Harden and win with another superstar.

Curious

Harden 1
George 1
Davis 1
Griffin 1
Lebron 0
Durant 0

[dapralbe]

If biz want i trade griffin for harden

[KW]

Well, the problem with being the champs is that everyone is gunning for you! Haha! That includes free agency.

We've got a 2x MVP on our roster... We are used to having a target on our back

[8timechamp]

Congrats

[Marcos_Beck]

First of all, congrats on winning the title! That was well deserved!

All right, shifting the focus to offseason, I believe you are in position for one of the most interesting off seasons in CSL's history. The objective is fairly simple: improve and repeat.
But how to do it? That's the Q.

Iggy is certainly one of the most interesting FAs right there and he'll be courted heavily for sure. Gortat isn't a bad player as well and he's all but gone.
Iggy, Gortat and Millsap decreasing next season, the first two decreasing 4 points in each category. No picks, no MLE, no cap.

Returning are:
- Harden
- Aminu
- Faried
- Marble
- Collison
- Young
- Hood
- Millsap

A great core no doubt but at 71M. 19M to spend before reaching hard cap, 16M if you add the youngsters.

So basically, who's gone is gone, who returns is old.. The good news is Thad Young returns and that's what makes it interesting. Basically which price is affordable to bring 33 yo Iggy back and how does PF Thad young fits next to potential PF Harden and Millsap (less than half of his price).

I'm going to watch it and see how you move forward cause it will be incredibly entertaining!

Good luck, Biz!

[Rizzo]

The versatility on this team is what makes it so dynamic. In a playoff series it is so difficult to match up with this team since you can throw multiple players in every spot but center. Without the ability of an opposing coach to dictate defensive matchups you will always have the ability to create mismatches up and down the lineup. There's no doubt you will have some difficulty bringing the whole gang back next season but I'm sure you'll find a way to make it happen. Congrats on the title and I'm sure there will be another deep playoff run for your Rockets next season!

[GreenBear]

Congrats on a well deserved championship! Your team battled through 2 game 7 victories, where home court advantage was huge. That just goes to show how important the regular season is for a deep postseason run.

And you did it all without Thad. Man that's impressive. Well done.

[bt]

Yes, another congratulations.

Deserved the title after the regular season. We in SacTown are ruing the opportunity we had going home at 1-1 and then losing at home but you can't keep the best teams down even at home.