Houston Rockets: 6 takeaways from preseason opener against Shanghai

4. Clint Capela has improved again

Much like Clemons, we will need to see Clint Capela against real NBA talent to properly make this assessment, but the early signs are positive for Capela.

The big man logged 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and no turnovers in a little over 18 minutes of action. Even against watered down competition, it was clear Capela has worked on his flaws over the summer.

A significant takeaway from Capela’s game was his improved passing. Though he finished without an assist, he appeared more willing to pass out of the post from entry passes or offensive rebounds. Capela’s decision-making in the post is often one of his downfalls going against other elite big men in the league, so a willingness to kick back out to his star perimeter guards would be big for Houston.

Capela also looked to be moving faster and smoother as he navigated through the lane both with and without the ball. He was able to swerve around defenders for crafty finishes and roll off screens to get to the right spots quickly.

Maybe the rest of his game can be attributed to a weaker opponent, but even an improvement in knowing when to pass out of the post and when to shoot will take Capela and the Rockets’ offense to another level.

Next: No. 3