CREECH: WHERE ROCKETS FIT.
The anticipation started building the moment the Toronto Raptors hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy and celebrated the championship they’d just won.
The feeling was there.
Things were going to be different in the NBA.
Kevin Durant went through a tough, and seemingly dramatic, injury and wouldn’t return to Golden State.
LeBron James had been actively recruiting for his Lakers, and the star of the current champion Raptors, Kawhi Leonard, seemed to be on his way out.
The offseason started with big changes, and they just kept coming.
By the end of the summer, there were no more superteams but dynamic duos everywhere. Star players paired up all over the map — including in Houston, where the Rockets welcomed former rival Russell Westbrook to town.
Things changed across the NBA in big ways.
And now that it’s all said and done and it is time for the 201920 season to begin, it’s clear the league has something that it hasn’t in a long time.
Parity.
There are still teams that stand above the rest.
There are still favorites to win the championship.
But there is a lot less confidence in picking one than there used to be.
Things feel far more equal than they have in a long time.
For the past several years, the No. 1 goal of every team has been to beat the Warriors. Golden State has played for the last five championships and won three of them. The Warriors have been consistent, and they’ve set the bar. And they could be back in the Finals again this season.
But that path is no longer clear thanks to the Lakers, the Clippers and the Rockets, who all coupled superstars together in hopes of pushing their teams above and beyond.
There’s also Portland, Utah and Denver, which have all been building systems and developing players.
And that’s just in the Western Conference.
The Rockets’ road isn’t easier by any means, but it’s no longer predictable.
They might not even have to meet Golden State when the postseason rolls around.
The Warriors are going to be good, but it’s hard to pick them with Leonard and Paul George leading the Clippers, James and Anthony Davis guiding the Lakers, and Westbrook and Harden in charge for the Rockets.
The potential of those three teams is through the roof.
And the Rockets are the most interesting, with their combining two recent MVPs who have changed the overall look of basketball because of their offensive talents.
Everyone wants to see what the Rockets will look like as they put two of the finest scorers and facilitators on the court together.
“Aren’t we all?” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said when asked if he was curious to see Westbrook and Harden together.
“This is basketball. That’s great stuff.”
That’s the best part of what the Rockets have done by making such a bold move in trading for Westbrook. They’ve put two really great basketball players in the hands of one of the best offensive minds in the game — coach Mike D’Antoni.
And to top it off, the Rockets are surrounded by an underrated supporting cast, with players like P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon and Clint Capela leading the way.
Tucker is 33 years old. He’s worked his way up to being a respected veteran in the league and seems to get better each season. His role is even bigger now with the departure of Chris Paul, because Tucker will always be looked to to set the tone defensively for the Rockets.
Gordon, who can come off the bench (he’s a former Sixth Man of the Year) or start, is about as versatile as they come in today’s NBA.
He’s perfect for the 3-pointhappy offense the Rockets run, and he can guard just about anyone on the other end of the court. Gordon is a steady force for the Rockets, and his return will go a long way.
Capela still has work to do, but he has made a leap every year since he’s been in the league, and there is no reason to believe he won’t again this season. He’s going to continue to be a key piece for the Rockets.
There’s also Austin Rivers, Ryan Anderson, Thabo Sefolosha, Danuel House, Tyson Chandler and a few others who could all impact the outcome of any game.
This is a solid and deep team that absolutely could win a championship.
The arguments for why the Rockets could reign supreme this season are plentiful — even though they haven’t played a regular-season game yet.
Similar arguments can be made for several other teams.
That’s what makes this season so interesting.
It’s no longer the Warriors’ Western Conference.
There is no clear winner in the West, opening up a whole new path for a team that wants to take it.
The Rockets have the pieces in place and don’t have to focus on just beating the Warriors this season.
Things are different. The playing field is evening out.
And it’s going to be a great thing for the NBA.