All the flashlights in Houston are on the newcomer Dwight Howard and his fellow superstar James Harden at the moment. Howard came and instantly made the Rockets title contenders. Harden is also a player from which the team expects much this season, as the Rockets will try to make a strong title push. However, apart from the Superman, Harden and Chandler Parsons, who is the next star of the team? There are a few role players that can make the difference this season for Houston.
First of all, it has become obvious throughout the history of the NBA that superstars don’t win championships, teams do. That’s why, apart from the optimism about the acquisition of Dwight Howard, the Rockets will have to look at their entire team and figure out if they are in a position to beat the best teams in the league. Thankfully, they do have some players that could greatly support the star trio, during crunch time, when the game is on the line. Players that can respond to the urgency call when the team has cooled off and can’t find an easy basket.
Patrick Beverly is one of those players in the Rockets group that can give huge impact for the team. Although he is inexperienced in the NBA, Beverly showcased his abilities last season. If Jeremy Lin wasn’t on the roster, the Rockets wouldn’t miss anything from his quality, having Beverly at the point. Beverly is an excellent defender, he is very quick and he can shoot the three. There is no doubt that the Rockets will need him during their playoff run.
Donatas Motiejunas is another significant player for Houston. The 20th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft will be one of the main backups for Dwight Howard and Omer Asik. Head Coach Kevin McHale will most probably use Asik as the starting power forward next to Howard. That’s why the Rockets will need depth at their front line and Motiejunas will be the one the team will have to rely on. The 23-year old center has improved his overall performance over the previous season and he will have to become even better for the 2013-2014 campaign.
Francisco Garcia is another player who will be important for the Houston Rockets. He was acquired mid-way through the 2012-2013 season from Houston and it didn’t take long before he found his spot in the rotation. One important aspect of his game that will have a great significance for the Rockets is his shooting ability, particularly from three-point territory. With Howard packing the paint, the Rockets are expected to find several open shot attempts from downtown. That’s where Garcia might be even more useful for the team this season. In 2012-2013 he averaged 38.6 percent from long range and also 43.2 percent from the field. Garcia was solid during the playoffs last season, too. That’s exactly when Houston will need him this upcoming season.
Ron Leyba is the content manager of FantasyBasketballMoneyLeagues.Com – premier source of fantasy basketball updates, rankings and rumors. For more fantasy basketball news, follow Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues at Google+.