Houston Rockets: It’s The Defense, Stupid!
I’m sure the Houston Rockets have put us fans into a whole range of emotions.
From the 0-3 start to the unimpressive way that we’re getting our wins, there’s still something that’s not quite right with this team.
The offense seems to be humming along just fine.
Our guys are quite deft at finding the open man or putting the ball in the right hands to score the needed buckets for the team.
It’s beautiful to see as well — the way that Ty Lawson runs the break and how he effectively runs the pick-and-roll with our big men is nothing short of amazing.
Guys like Dwight Howard and Clint Capela are getting plenty of opportunities to finish strong in the paint with their high-flying, earth-shattering dunks because the of their teammates that do have the ball in their hands — Lawson, James Harden, Patrick Beverley — know where to hit them.
And boy do they hit them hard!
Although the Rockets’ offense sputtered like a jalopy the first few games of the season, the more it seems like it’s starting purr like a heavily-revved, high-octane sports car.
The Rockets did start the season at the bottom of the pack in offensive efficiency but have elevated themselves to the middle of the pack.
They’re now ranked 17th, averaging 99.8 points per 100 possessions.
The Rockets are shooting 28.4 percent from behind-the-arc but are still finding other ways to put the ball into the hoop.
For a team that continuously relied on the three last season, the wits of the coaching staff will definitely be tested until the shots start falling once again.
But that’s further down in priority in determining what’s wrong with this team.
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At this point last season, the Rockets were 6-2 and were already cruising to a 13-4 record after the conclusion of the November schedule.
But now we’re sitting at a pedestrian 4-4 and wondering just how our guys are going to look with each game that they undertake.
Let me tell you what’s wrong.
It’s no secret — it’s their defense!
Describing the Rockets team defense as abysmal would be understatement — you’ve seen it, I’ve seen it!
You have guys standing around, not locking up their defenders with tenacity and chasing after wide-open guys who launch from the three-point line.
That’s how the Rockets got did in Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets — they couldn’t stop the likes of Bojan Bogdanovic and Shane Larkin who both worked together off the bench to get their team off the schneid down the stretch.
They both combined for 37 points, including five threes to which most of them could’ve been easily contested.
The level of how lackadaisical the Rockets have been on defense has been sickening and must be turned around immediately.
As I’ve said many times, you cannot be a successful champion unless you’re committed to playing hard-nosed defense for 48 minutes a night.
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Scoring is the easy part, it’s the fun part but these guys have to understand that this team would be more respected and feared if the defense was on point.
For a team that consistently stayed among the Top 10 teams in defensive efficiency last season, has woefully fallen to 27th, giving up 106.5 points per 100 possessions.
105, 112, 109, 105, 114, 110, 105, 106…these are total points against each opponent we’ve faced for the team’s first eight games.
It’s quite pitiful if you ask me!
Now let’s take a look at individual stats.
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Sadly, although he has been waived, Chuck Hayes put up the highest defensive efficiency numbers, collecting a -10.5 (percentage points differential) in the two games that he appeared with the Rockets.
Who’s next down the line?
It’s Capela with a differential of -5.8 percent along with Beverley trailing far behind at -2.4 percent.
It’s not surprising to see those names firsthand because that’s what they’re known for but I think it’s Kevin McHale‘s — and the rest of his staff — duty to ensure that the entire team is on the same page.
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How could we have fallen so fast in the span of just one season?
The Rockets better get back on track and fast before we’re at the moment where we’re on the outside looking in, wondering what the hell happened.
There’s still time to make to make adjustments — let’s just hope that it’s sooner than later.
The proof is in the pudding so it’s time for the Rockets to get their spoons and grab a hold of such a simple concept.
I’m tired of preaching about it, now they just have to go out and do it!
The time is now — go Rockets.