The “small-ball” experiment going on in Houston right now has not shaken out quite as well for the Rockets as they would have liked. They have won six of ten right now, but they have slid to fifth place in the Western Conference standings, tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they are just 1 ½ games ahead of seventh-place Dallas with 18 games remaining on the regular season schedule. Of course, given the fact that the NBA is in the middle of a suspension due to the coronavirus, the league could very well declare the regular season over and move to the postseason when play resumes. You can play sports betting futures and put down money on a Houston championship; if the playoffs started today, they would open the postseason in Denver against a Nuggets team that is having a difficult time playing consistent ball right now. Take a look at our thoughts and NBA Odds on the state of the Houston Rockets.
NBA: Houston Rockets 2019-20 Season Analysis
Offensive Analysis
The offense is struggling in Houston right now. Their 6-4 mark in the last ten games masks the fact that they had a six-game winning streak followed by a four-game winning streak, followed by a home win over a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is not a contender. The team “only” shot 38 three-pointers on the night, making 15. That might not seem like a high number, but they lead the NBA in three-point attempts per game, right at 44.3 per contest. That is almost three shots higher than the next-highest team, Dallas.
In the team’s losing streak, Houston went 20 for 56 from downtown against New York, 7 for 42 against the Clippers, 15 for 45 against Charlotte, and 9 for 32 against Orlando. That game against the Magic reflects a drop in attempts — and perhaps a drop in confidence? They need to get that mojo back from downtown if they want to contend.
Defensive Analysis
If the Rockets have a shutdown defender, it’s P.J. Tucker (more about him below). He can guard anywhere from the point guard to the small forward (even the power forward at times), which makes him a huge piece to have when you are playing “small ball.” He has moved from the perimeter to the paint, and he has responded with 6.9 boards per game.
Key Players/Numbers
Obviously, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are the two top names to consider here. They drive the offense, and when Harden has had periods of cold shooting, Westbrook has stepped up to fill in the gap in production. Another big contributor is P.J. Tucker, who attempts 3.2 three-pointers from the corner per game. He has played in 228 possible regular season games since the start of the 2017-18 season, starting in 146 for Houston. Tucker’s shift to the corner helps out the offensive spacing for the team, as Westbrook and/or Harden often occupy the middle of the floor in order to make plays. Tucker is shooting 37 percent on the season, second to Ben McLemore (39.5) among players who have appeared in over 10 games.
Odds to Win the NBA Championship: 20/1
The Rockets have one of the older rosters in the NBA, and they play a frenetic style of basketball. Going without a traditional center makes the pace increase significantly, and playing fast for 48 minutes can also lead to the sorts of problems the team is having when it comes to making three-pointers, as you don’t get as many makes without fresh legs. Coming back from the break, Houston (like a lot of their peers atop the standings) could benefit from the freshness, once the rust wears off.
