Houston Rockets preview: Howard needs resurgence for them to move on USA TODAY projection: 56-26

AJ Neuharth-Keusch | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption NBA Western Conference Preview USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick provides insight into what to expect in the NBA Western Conference.

The Rockets’ 2014-15 season was their best since the Hakeem Olajuwon days in the mid-1990s. They finished tied for the third-best record in the league and got to the Western Conference finals.

What’s different this season? The Rockets lost Josh Smith, a key component of their rotation last season, but gained veteran point guard Ty Lawson and drafted rookies Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell.

How good can they be? Point guard Patrick Beverley is a great defender, but he just can’t seem to put the ball in the basket consistently (8.9 career points on 40.1% shooting). He doesn’t produce offense at the level that a starting NBA point guard should. Gaining Lawson is an upgrade on the offensive front, assuming he can stay out of trouble off the court. Lawson had a player efficiency rating of 18.5 last season; Beverley was at 11.37.

How far they have to go: Dwight Howard has to play at a higher level if the Rockets want to be a realistic title contender. The only other season in which he averaged fewer points (15.8) and rebounds (10.5) than 2014-15 was as a rookie in 2004. He’s a five-time All-NBA first-team selection, eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. He needs to play like it.

Chef Harden: Last season, James Harden ranked second in the league for minutes per game with 36.8, sixth in total touches behind five point guards and attempted the second-most shots. Adding Lawson gives the Rockets another guard who can score, giving Harden a little bit more leeway.

Off-court issues: If the Rockets have any hopes of winning a title, the off-the-court issues need to be solved before anything else. Lawson has been arrested twice this last year for DUI, and Howard was questioned after accidentally bringing a loaded handgun to an airport this summer.