Weaknesses That Could Expose Houston Rockets In Playoffs
In recent weeks, the various flaws and weaknesses of the Houston Rockets have been exposed at various times. What are those flaws and will they be the undoing of Houston in the postseason?
First, let's set something straight. The Houston Rockets are not in panic mode. They are currently at 42-19, good for third in the Western Conference.
The Rockets have the second-best offense in the league paired with the 15th-best defense in the league and a net rating of 6.1, good for third in the league. There's no doubt about it: the Rockets are an elite team.
However, every team has its flaws. Maybe it's more difficult to find them when you watch teams like the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, but weaknesses can hurt any and every team at times.
With the Rockets, their flaws can be exposed in games that mirror playoff basketball.
For example, in the Rockets 117-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday, the Rockets were out-rebounded yet again and looked uncomfortable playing the slower-paced, physical game style that the Pacers enjoy.
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The Pacers grabbed 55 rebounds (with 13 of them being on the offensive glass) compared to the Rockets' 39 rebounds.
The Pacers implemented a physical style of play, rushed shooters off the three-point line, and slowed the pace down for the majority of the game, taking the Rockets out of their comfort zone.
To worsen matters, the Rockets shot a disastrous 22.2 percent on their three-pointers, the shot that is so crucial to their success. While it's simple to chalk that up to a cold shooting night, these are trends (poor rebounding and shooting) that have been developing for some time now.
Since Jan. 1, the Rockets are 25th in the league in rebounds per game. Compare that to the first three months of the season where the Rockets were seventh in the league in rebounding. Yeah, that's a steep decline.
Looking at the Rockets' shooting, during the initial months of the season they shot well from beyond the arc, hitting 38 percent of such shots, which was good for fifth in the league.
Since Jan. 1? The Rockets are hitting only 33.9 percent of their three-pointers, good for 26th in the league.
For a team that relies so heavily on three-pointers (they take more than 40 attempts per game, most in the league), this is a concerning trend. This is not a one- or two-week trend, this poor shooting has been going on for two months now.
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Could this be a sign that their hot shooting in December was a mere fluke? Or are the Rockets due for a regression back to their shooting average (36.2 percent on threes for the season)? Only time will tell.
With the addition (and eventually, the full integration) of Lou Williams, the Rockets have an abundance of shooters on the roster, but whether or not they are in a slump come playoff time will determine the Rockets' fate.
In terms of the rebounding issues, while it is possible the Rockets could sign a free agent like Andrew Bogut, Larry Sanders or Jared Sullinger, it is just as likely they ride it out with their current big man rotation of Clint Capela, Nene and Montrezl Harrell.
With that being said, the Rockets will need increased effort on the boards and help from their guards and wings to box out the opposing big men.
For opposing teams, the recent losses for Houston may provide a blueprint to defeat them in the playoffs: slow the pace down, play physical in the frontcourt and, as Zach Harper wrote for FanRag Sports, just hope the Rockets miss their shots.
With the two most likely teams the Rockets will face in the first round being the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder being teams that fit that bill, the Rockets better hope they snap out of their shooting slump and improve on the boards before the playoffs start.
