On 2nd thought, he’s the right guy
Alexander’s vision coming to fruition as his team emerges as top contender
As James Harden went to the line in Tuesday’s first half against the Heat, a small chant of “MVP” broke out among the pockets of Rockets fans scattered about American Airlines Arena in Miami. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander, sitting in his usual aisle seat, resisted any urge to join them but later laughed easily at the thought of it.
It has been that sort of season for Alexander, offering not only a revival after last season’s disagreeable slide to mediocrity to take a place among the NBA’s top teams, but also vindication for his choice of Mike D’Antoni to rebuild around Harden. He had gone from aggressively firing back at critics who had derided his choice to celebrating what he considers a rise to contender status.
“What I envisioned has Owner’s continues on C4
come true,” Alexander said. “I wanted a running game with a coach that really knows offense, how to put people in the right places, how to make the most of James, his ability, so he can become MVP and to have a defensive guy we hired ( Jeff Bzdelik) who is really good so we can defend better and, we hope, get better during the season.
“I wanted somebody who knew exactly what he was doing, who wouldn’t be guessing, who wouldn’t be learning on the job. He knows the job. We picked up Eric Gordon, who has been fabulous, and Ryan Anderson. It’s all come true.”
Dec. 1 win validating
The point of all that, Alexander had said last June, was “to win all the time, every year, try for a championship at all times.” With the Rockets holding the NBA’s third-best record at 33-12 heading into Friday’s meeting with 36-6 Golden State, Alexander was ready to consider his team contenders. “Yes, definitely,” he said. He would not be more specific, saying he has “no idea” what his revised expectations would be. But Friday’s second meeting with the Warriors, the team that eliminated the Rockets from the postseason in the past two years on the way to the NBA Finals, demonstrates the change in the Rockets since Alexander felt the need to fire back at “all you naysayers out there.”
Yet, as well as D’Antoni’s style and strengths fit Alexander’s preferences and meshed with Harden’s talents, the turning point might have come later.
The Rockets had successfully turned the offense to Harden by taking him from de facto to designated point guard. The additions of Anderson and Gordon brought the 3-point shooting and spacing that were often lacking last season. The defense under Bzdelik has made strides from 21st last season to ranking 14th in points allowed per possession this season.
Yet, even with the melding of D’Antoni’s offense with a retooled roster and chemistry the Rockets have cited since their summer mini-camps, their double-overtime victory over the Warriors in Oakland on Dec. 1 also proved essential.
A rebuilt team, the Rockets needed the validation that could only come with a victory on the home floor of a member of the NBA elite they sought to join. Though they already had won in San Antonio, the Rockets needed to measure themselves against the team that had tormented them for two seasons and postseasons, winning 12 of 14 meetings.
“It gave confidence for sure that we can compete with anybody,” Harden said. “We just rode that wave out, and we still feel that way. Obviously, we still have some things to work on and work out, but Friday is going to be another good test for us and we’ll take it from there.”
The Rockets took the momentum of that victory to go 15-2 in December, the start of a run of 23 wins in 28 games.
A confidence booster
The Rockets likely cannot be able to expect the Warriors to make 1 of 11 shots, as they did in the second overtime, in any fiveminute stretch of Friday’s game. But the Rockets that night matched up with the Warriors long enough to prove they could.
“I think it was a good game, period,” Rockets forward Trevor Ariza said. “They’re a really, really, really good team, are really talented, have a lot of players on their team that have been together for a while. (Kevin) Durant is an unbelievable player. To win a game like that, it definitely helped our team’s confidence. It made us realize we can play with anybody.”
Alexander no longer seemed concerned with outside opinions about his team. With the Rockets taking a place in the standings’ upper echelon as they take on the team at the top, they now believe they belong in that fast company.
“We don’t worry about what people think,” Harden said. “We worry about what we have in this locker room, go out and compete, try to win as many games as we can and prepare for the postseason.”