No.2) Houston Rockets
Putting the Rockets nearly atop the Power Rankings of threats to the Lakers was difficult. It’s going to take time for the Harden and Westbrook to mesh well with one another if they ever do. I see the Rockets finishing the regular season outside the top four in seeding, but that won’t mean as much come playoff time.
James Harden and Russell Westbrook represent the NBA’s best backcourt and are hungry to win. Harden and Westbrook are extremely ball-dominant, but so was a duo of Chris Paul and James Harden, who had success playing together in Houston.
Two guys on Houston’s roster that are overshadowed and shouldn’t be are Clint Capela and PJ Tucker. In terms of stopping LeBron and AD, those two guys are suited well for it. Capela is long, fast, and a great perimeter defender. Tucker is rather slow but is still one of the league’s best defenders, and should cause trouble for LeBron.
It’s yet to be seen if Capela can stop Davis. Capela is a good defender but isn’t the strongest. But since AD isn’t known for being incredibly strong like most dominating big men are, Capela might be able to contain him.
If Capela’s and Tucker’s defensive can limit LeBron James’ and Anthony Davis’ offense, Harden and Westbrook might be able to propel the Rockets past the Lakers. Danny Green and Avery Bradley are the Purple and Gold’s best guard defenders, but neither should cause Westbrook or Harden to lose sleep overnight.
For the Rockets to compete, they’re going to have to find a way for Westbrook and Harden to work together, which is easier said than done. If they can, though, the Lakers better watch out.