Here’s why the Rockets went 15-2 in December

The Houston Rockets should enter the New Year with their heads held sky high. After all, the team went 15-2 in December, securing big-time victories including a signature win over the Warriors, 132-127; a hard-fought victory over the Thunder, 102-99; a comeback win in overtime against Minnesota, 112-109; and a beatdown of a shorthanded Clippers team, 140-113.

The only other team to record just two losses last month was the San Antonio Spurs; Golden State lost three, Cleveland lost four, the Knicks lost eight.

But Houston’s .882 win percentage in December wasn’t just a run of luck. Rather, it was a perfect storm created by general manager Daryl Morey, drawn up by new head coach Mike D’Antoni, orchestrated by James Harden, and supported by a tailor-made, hand-picked cast that’s propelled Houston into serious contention for a deep playoff run.

And it’s those complementary pieces, behind Harden’s historic run, that catapulted the Rockets into a league-best month to end 2016.

When tests revealed Capela suffered a small fibula fracture in his left knee, the Rockets community collectively held its breath. After all, their center wasn’t just a rim protector, but an effective screener whose rolls collapsed the defense and created additional passing lanes for Harden.

But reserve big man Montrezl Harrell has stepped up in Capela’s absence, playing his way into a starting role over veteran big man Nene. And while Harrell (0.7 blocks per game) is not the shot blocker the starting center is (1.6 for Capela), Harrell has certainly come up big for the Rockets heading into the new year.

The second-year 22-year-old Harrell averaged 10.5 points in December, headlined by a 29-point effort in a 140-113 win over an injured Los Angeles Clippers team. Houston is efficient with Harrell on the floor, averaging 117.9 points per 100 possessions and allowing just 103.9 — his 14-point net rating leads the team.

The Rockets’ success is built on the three-point shot, and Morey certainly put the right pieces around Harden to ensure the team consistently knocks down perimeter jumpers.

Houston boasts four of the league’s top 10 three-point shooters with Eric Gordon having made a league-leading 130 triples — more than Stephen Curry (126), Kyle Lowry (114), and Klay Thompson (105). James Harden ranks fourth with 110 made threes. Ryan Anderson (98) ranks seventh and Trevor Ariza (95) places ninth. The Rockets also have Patrick Beverley shooting 40 percent from downtown.

To top it off, Houston is forcing defenders to guard further out than most other teams. The NBA three-point line is 23 feet, nine inches from the rim. The Rockets lead the league in makes (8.6) and attempts (23.1) between 25 and 29 feet. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon are straight-up disrespectful when they pull threes from the hash mark — and make them.

It doesn’t hurt that the team’s leading scorer casually launches treys from Alaska like this:

Or this:

Beverley missed the beginning of the season after undergoing surgery on his right knee. But Houston has been on a roll since his return in mid-November.

The Rockets outscore opponents by 12.6 points per 100 possessions when Beverley is on the floor, compared 6.6 for Eric Gordon, who started in Beverley’s place while he recovered from injury. The agitating point guard routinely locks down his opponent, like when he hounded Steph Curry into a 9-for-21 shooting night in a win over Golden State and forced Isaiah Thomas into a 7-for-19 shooting night in a win over Boston.

And he’s another spot-up shooter, drilling 40 percent of his three-point attempts, flanking Harden, who’s been a masterful orchestrator of D’Antoni’s offense.

Only two players in NBA history have ever averaged 30 points and 10 assists. James Harden could become the third. The Beard is playing at a level only Oscar Robertson and Nate “Tiny” Archibald have reached, and it’s a sight to behold.

Harden capped off 2016 by recording his eighth triple-double and becoming the first player in league history to post a 50-15-15 game when he torched the Knicks on New Year’s Eve for a career-high 53 points on 14-for-26 shooting (9 for 16 from three), 16 rebounds, and 17 assists. His 53 points tied Wilt Chamberlain’s highest scoring total in a triple-double.

Harden’s ability and willingness to pass has led to a league-leading 12 assists per game, and has given his teammates the confidence to shoot with a blaring green light when they touch the ball.

The Rockets’ main star may be a one-man band, but his teammates have certainly held their weight — likely exactly how Houston’s GM envisioned when he added pieces (Anderson, Gordon, Nene) to the roster over the summer.

And if the team continues to support Harden on his quest for world dominance (read: a historic NBA season), Houston could seriously challenge Golden State or San Antonio for a shot at an NBA Finals appearance.