Houston Rockets: Ty Lawson Is Confident He Is Missing Piece

With the start of their season swiftly approaching, the Houston Rockets look to start putting the pieces together in hopes of winning an NBA title. Building on last season’s success, the Rockets will bring back most of their roster along with the impressive addition of star point guard Ty Lawson.

“I was like before I even came to the team I was talking to James. I was like ‘man get me over there.’ I’ll be that piece to (help) get over the hump. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air,” Lawson told Fox 26 Houston.

Lawson, who averaged 15 points and 9 assists (3rd most in the league) last season, will be a perfect compliment to Rockets superstar James Harden. Although the common belief is that Harden needs the ball in his hands at all times for the Rockets to be successful, in truth, Harden will prove to be more effective if he has someone to share the offensive load with. Lawson understands this.

“I feel like last year watching the playoffs, they definitely need another playmaker,” Lawson told Fox 26. “You could tell James got a little bit tired. He had to come down and score and make passes every time on the court. So I just want to relieve a little bit of pressure for him the best way I can.”

“You could tell James got a little bit tired. He had to come down and score and make passes every time on the court. So I just want to relieve a little bit of pressure for him the best way I can”

Even if Harden continued to have the ball in his hands most of the time, Lawson’s presence will serve as an additional threat that the defense will have to worry about. It won’t be as easy for teams to double team Harden with Lawson next to him in the backcourt.

Something that was barely mentioned during last season’s MVP race between Harden and Golden State’s Steph Curry is the fact that Curry played next to all-star shooting guard Klay Thompson. When you have a teammate capable of going for 37 points in one quarter alongside you in the backcourt, it makes your job a tad bit easier. Lawson is looking to be Harden’s Klay Thompson, and while he may not break a record for the most points scored in a single quarter, he is hoping he can help the Rockets win an NBA championship.

Lawson isn’t the only player confident in his ability to improve the Rocket’s chances. Harden, who is friends with Lawson, told the Houston Chronicle, “He’s going to be a great addition to our team. I’ve been with him these last couple weeks. He’s more focused than ever. He has a great opportunity with a really good team to showcase his talents and help us with that push that we need.”

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