"Samuel Dalembert always said this would happen.

Before he signed with the Rockets, he said he would learn what their defense would need and he would bring it. When he worked his way through his own in-season training camp, he said he would patrol their paint and make it his own.

Dalembert told his teammates they would be able to count on him to watch their backs. But they hear much more now.

"I keep communicating," Dalembert said. "I keep telling them, 'Send him left, send him left.' They are loving it. And as you are playing defense, you keep communicating. 'Send him left. No. No. No. You're by yourself.' Things like that. When you are communicating, you make it easy for me. Then they get comfortable to defend their man.""