Mike D'Antoni Hall of Fame Honor Rekindles Rockets Debate

At Toyota Center in Houston, Mike D'Antoni once oversaw one of the most electric stretches in Rockets history. His Hall of Fame induction is bringing that era back into focus, especially the 2017-18 team that won 65 games and still fuels one of the loudest debates in this city: was that group the best non-title team the NBA has seen?

D'Antoni's name remains tied tightly to that Rockets run, a season built on pace, spacing and a three-point volume that changed how the league defended Houston. Led by James Harden and Chris Paul, the Rockets finished with the NBA's best record in 2017-18 and pushed the Kevin Durant-Stephen Curry Warriors to seven games in the Western Conference finals. For many in Houston, that season still feels unfinished.

Mike D'Antoni left a clear mark on the Rockets

D'Antoni coached the Rockets from 2016 through 2020 and quickly turned the franchise into a contender. His system fit Harden perfectly and helped produce one of the most efficient offenses in the league. Houston did not win a championship under his watch, but the results were hard to dismiss. The Rockets won 65 games in 2017-18, set a franchise standard for regular-season dominance during that era, and came closer than any Houston team of the Harden years to breaking through in the West.

The Hall of Fame nod adds another layer to D'Antoni's legacy. Around the NBA, he is recognized as one of the most influential offensive coaches of his generation. In Houston, his case is more personal. His best team here ran into one of the league's toughest dynasties, and that fact has shaped the way many locals judge that roster.

The 2017-18 Rockets still have a strong case

The core argument is easy to understand. Houston won 65 games, finished first in the West, and held a 3-2 series lead over Golden State before Chris Paul went down with a hamstring injury. The Rockets then lost Games 6 and 7, with the missed-three stretch in Game 7 becoming one of the defining moments of the era.

That team had top-end star power, veteran depth and a defensive edge that separated it from some high-scoring contenders that fell short in other seasons. Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon and Clint Capela all played major roles around Harden and Paul. Houston built that roster to challenge Golden State directly, and for long stretches, it worked.

Calling the 2017-18 Rockets the best team ever to miss a title will always invite pushback. Plenty of historic near-champions belong in that conversation. Still, D'Antoni's induction gives Houston a good reason to reopen it. The numbers, the playoff run and the level of competition all support the case.

D'Antoni's Hall of Fame moment will not change the record book, but it does sharpen the memory of what that Rockets group accomplished. In a city that still measures contenders against that 65-win season, the debate is not going away anytime soon.

This article is a summary of reporting by 9News. Read the full story here.