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Houston Rockets: 5 Keys To Beating The San Antonio Spurs
Apr 19, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) handles the ball during the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game two of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Rockets eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder from the playoffs, ending the series in just five games. Now the Rockets look to push past the San Antonio Spurs during the Western Conference semifinals.
The Houston Rockets disposed of the Oklahoma City Thunder in just five games in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Now the San Antonio Spurs will bring a whole new set of challenges to James Harden and company.
As the leader of the Houston Rockets, he must guide his team to start the series a step ahead of the Spurs. There are a few keys to victory and one is adjusting to the strengths of the Spurs and making them play the Rockets' game.
The Houston Rockets have solidarity and depth in their bench with players like Lou Williams, Nene Hilario and Eric Gordon. Other than having the depth and youth the Rockets have many advantages playing to their favor. Here are five reasons the Houston Rockets will be able to defeat the San Antonio Spurs.
Harden Setting The Pace And Tone
The Houston Rockets are currently outscoring the San Antonio Spurs as a team during their run in the playoffs so far this year 115.3 points per game to 105.3.
Without a doubt, James Harden — the five-time All-Star, three-time All NBA selection and 2015 MVP runner-up — will be regarded as one of the best to ever play the game, as well as one of the greatest offensive threats on the court today.
During the regular season he led the league in assists 11.2 per game and finished in second with 29.1 points per game. Harden has the unique ability to score at a high efficiency but also distribute the ball and facilitate the offense at will.
In the past five games Harden is leading the Rockets with 33.2 points per game — higher compared to the Spurs' highest scorer, Kawhi Leonard, at 31.2 points per game during the playoffs. Harden's three-point-percentage over the last five games (24.0 percent) is way off compared to the regular season of 34.7 percent, so he will seek improvement in this area.
If the Harden can find a way to set the pace and tone early it will be key going down the stretch.
What Is Your Prime?
Another advantage the Rockets hold over the Spurs is their depth within their bench. In addition, they also have a player that seems to be drinking from the fountain of youth.
Lou Williams played the first 58 games of his season with the Los Angeles Lakers and posted some of his best numbers of his career. Mind you, Williams came into the league at age 19. Now, at age 30, most players show signs of slowing down. Before joining the Rockets for the final 23 games of the regular season, take a look below at how a year like this is more than just a fluke.
The numbers really speak for themselves. He was scoring his highest totals in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and points per game before transitioning to the Houston Rockets. Lou Williams is making a statement, and it is that he is not ready to be labeled at his prime just yet.
Lou Will averaged 18.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in Houston's first round series, shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from downtown. If that carries over into the second round, San Antonio could have problems with that kind of firepower coming off the bench.
| Season | Age | Tm | G | GS | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 | 19 | PHI | 30 | 0 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1.7 | .442 | 0.1 | 0.3 | .222 | 0.3 | 0.4 | .615 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.9 |
| 2006-07 | 20 | PHI | 61 | 0 | 11.3 | 1.5 | 3.5 | .441 | 0.2 | 0.6 | .324 | 1.0 | 1.5 | .696 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 4.3 |
| 2007-08 | 21 | PHI | 80 | 0 | 23.3 | 4.0 | 9.4 | .424 | 0.7 | 1.9 | .359 | 2.8 | 3.6 | .783 | 3.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 11.5 |
| 2008-09 | 22 | PHI | 81 | 0 | 23.7 | 4.1 | 10.4 | .398 | 0.8 | 2.7 | .286 | 3.8 | 4.8 | .790 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 12.8 |
| 2009-10 | 23 | PHI | 64 | 38 | 29.9 | 5.0 | 10.6 | .470 | 1.1 | 3.2 | .340 | 3.0 | 3.6 | .824 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 14.0 |
| 2010-11 | 24 | PHI | 75 | 0 | 23.3 | 4.3 | 10.6 | .406 | 1.2 | 3.4 | .348 | 3.9 | 4.7 | .823 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 13.7 |
| 2011-12 | 25 | PHI | 64 | 0 | 26.3 | 5.0 | 12.2 | .407 | 1.3 | 3.6 | .362 | 3.7 | 4.6 | .812 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 14.9 |
| 2012-13 | 26 | ATL | 39 | 9 | 28.7 | 4.8 | 11.4 | .422 | 1.8 | 5.0 | .367 | 2.7 | 3.1 | .868 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 14.1 |
| 2013-14 | 27 | ATL | 60 | 7 | 24.1 | 3.3 | 8.2 | .400 | 1.3 | 3.9 | .342 | 2.5 | 3.0 | .849 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 10.4 |
| 2014-15 | 28 | TOR | 80 | 0 | 25.2 | 4.7 | 11.6 | .404 | 1.9 | 5.6 | .340 | 4.3 | 4.9 | .861 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 15.5 |
| 2015-16 | 29 | LAL | 67 | 35 | 28.5 | 4.2 | 10.3 | .408 | 1.6 | 4.8 | .344 | 5.3 | 6.3 | .830 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 15.3 |
| 2016-17 | 30 | TOT | 81 | 1 | 24.6 | 5.3 | 12.3 | .429 | 2.0 | 5.5 | .366 | 5.0 | 5.6 | .880 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 17.5 |
| 2016-17 | 30 | LAL | 58 | 1 | 24.2 | 5.6 | 12.7 | .444 | 2.1 | 5.4 | .386 | 5.2 | 5.9 | .884 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 18.6 |
| 2016-17 | 30 | HOU | 23 | 0 | 25.7 | 4.4 | 11.5 | .386 | 1.8 | 5.6 | .318 | 4.3 | 4.9 | .867 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 14.9 |
| Career | 782 | 90 | 23.6 | 4.1 | 9.8 | .417 | 1.2 | 3.5 | .346 | 3.4 | 4.1 | .827 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 12.8 | ||
| 7 seasons | PHI | 455 | 38 | 21.9 | 3.8 | 9.0 | .421 | 0.8 | 2.4 | .337 | 2.9 | 3.7 | .798 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 11.3 | |
| 2 seasons | LAL | 125 | 36 | 26.5 | 4.9 | 11.4 | .427 | 1.9 | 5.1 | .365 | 5.2 | 6.1 | .854 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 16.8 | |
| 2 seasons | ATL | 99 | 16 | 25.9 | 3.9 | 9.5 | .410 | 1.5 | 4.3 | .354 | 2.6 | 3.0 | .857 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 11.9 | |
| 1 season | TOR | 80 | 0 | 25.2 | 4.7 | 11.6 | .404 | 1.9 | 5.6 | .340 | 4.3 | 4.9 | .861 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 15.5 | |
| 1 season | HOU | 23 | 0 | 25.7 | 4.4 | 11.5 | .386 | 1.8 | 5.6 | .318 | 4.3 | 4.9 | .867 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 14.9 |
Lou Williams
Three-Point Threats And Depth
The Houston Rockets ended this regular season 55-27, ranking third in the Western Conference and with good reason. Per Basketball Reference, they ranked second in offensive rating and third in pace at the end of the regular season. Pace is defined as possessions per 48 minutes by a team. The Spurs ranked ninth in offensive rating and 27th in pace.
Currently during this postseason run, the Spurs have not needed depth or their bench. They currently have only one player coming off the bench averaging 10 points per game. The Rockets currently have three with Lou Williams averaging 18.8 per game, as well as Sixth Man of the Year favorite Eric Gordon and Nene Hilario at 13.6 apiece.
The Spurs make 35 percent of their points inside the paint. Holding the advantage in the paint is key, but three-pointers only accounted for 25.5 percent of their points in the first round, compared to 28.2 percent.
Houston only made 28.4 percent of its 33.8 three-point attempts per game in the first round, but after making 35.7 percent of its league-leading 40.3 long range attempts per game in the regular season, that's a trend that can be — and will need to be — reversed against the NBA's best defense.
Hanging Down Low
Another factor the Rockets will take into account is scoring down low. Through the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets scored a whopping 45.7 percent of their points in the paint.
Meanwhile, the Spurs scored 35 percent of their points in the paint, though they were more potent from the outside so far in the postseason. San Antonio scored 28.2 percent of its points from three-pointers compared to the Rockets' 25.5 percent.
The Rockets will have to look to drawing on their advantages down low. This may sound strange inviting LaMarcus Aldridge into a physical war in the paint. But the key to victory will be the Rockets asserting themselves, and acheiving an early road win in this series.
Play Physical And Frustrate Spurs Early
Going into Game 1, the Spurs are second in three-point percentage at 41 percent and ranked fourth in three-pointers made with 59 (through six games). This series can get out of control early if Houston is unable to find an answer to prevent that kind of feast from the perimeter.
Kahwi Leonard will make plays and put on a show, but forcing him inside and making him earn it inside the paint will be key. Leonard is the head of the youth movement in San Antonio. If the Rockets can avoid giving him an early start they stand an excellent chance.
LaMarcus Aldridge has seen the playoffs plenty in his career and is no stranger to the big stage. Ryan Anderson, Clint Capela and Nene Hilario have their work cut for them come Game 1. We will see if the Houston Rockets big men come to play. The time is now to see who can hang down low against Aldridge.
The Houston Rockets sure have a tough series on their hands starting out on the road. But they certainly have the depth and the advantages to win the series against the San Antonio Spurs
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