Reading defenses becomes strength
As often as the Rockets have avowed they pay little mind to their opponents, the declaration is largely untrue.
There is an attitude behind all the “it’s about us” statements, a sense that they alone are responsible for their results. That part is accurate and a large part of their mindset. But one of their great strengths is not ignoring opponents, but rather rapidly reading defenses and dissecting them.
“We just figure it out,” guard Chris Paul said. “In the 79 games we’ve played, we’ve shown that ability.”
With teams switching defensively in the quest to limit the Rockets’ otherwise ceaseless 3point shooting, the Rockets have gone to relentlessly attacking one-on-one. When they
switched back this week, the Rockets returned to firing away.
No team has made, attempted and relied on 3pointers more than the Rockets. But with opponents determined to defend that, the Rockets have been switching on screens even if it means putting unfortunate big men on Paul and James Harden. That has led the Rockets to go one-on-one more often this season, and to be more effective at it, than any team in the NBA.
Having had their fill of that, the Wizards and Trail Blazers went back to where teams started. After Harden dominated for a half, the Wizards shifted to trapping him. After Harden and Paul tortured Blazers big men for three meetings, Portland went to aggressive double teams.
Prime for playoffs
With that, the Rockets went back to takng 3s. And if postseason games are going to bring the same defenses, same offensive adjustments and same 3-for-alls, they said they would be happy to fire away again. More than just take those 3s, the Rockets said they would pin their postseason aspirations on their ability to make them.
“Yeah, oh yeah. I’m pretty good with that,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I think we will (make enough), especially four out of seven (games). Maybe that one day like (Thursday), we couldn’t make one. That happens, but it’s not going to happen too many times.
“I mean, you have to make plays, make shots. If you don’t, you’re not going to win. You can’t say we’re going to do this and it will work 100 percent of the time. But we have guys that will read it and do it and make adjustments as necessary, and we hopefully will have the right guys on the floor, making shots.”
Teams had been switching so often, Harden and Paul have ordered impromptu screens to pick out the defender they wanted to attack. Last month against the Thunder, whom the Rockets face Saturday in Toyota Center, they repeatedly went after Carmelo Anthony, taking control of the game.
Isolation game
The Rockets have averaged 17.3 points per game going one-on-one, nearly seven points more than the Thunder, the nextmost prolific iso team. They have averaged more points per one-on-one possession and scored more reliably when going one-one-one (scoring on 48.1 percent of their iso possessions) than any team.
That brought the changes to the Wizards’ and Blazers’ strategies, and gave the Rockets time against three defenses in their past three games. It also renewed the belief they have an answer for any defense they will see.
“We’ve seen that with so many different defenses throughout the entire year,” Harden said. “We’re prepared for it. Last night was pretty unique, how they just ran the double team at me and Chris. We’ll work on it with the guys, try to get better, try to figure some things out like we always do, and keep pushing.”
Miss? So what
The Rockets missed all 14 3-pointers they put up in the second half Thursday, but loved the looks they got, so much so they said if their postseason fate depends on those shots, they’d happily take them again.
Even beyond the slowdown when the lead reached 24, they believed they have answers for the defensive schemes the Spurs employed. The Spurs kept defenders on the 3-point shooters and had their big men protecting rim, a style similar to Oklahoma City’s in last season’s playoffs. The Rockets had their worst offensive game in the past two seasons in San Antonio, but blamed the lethargy after clinching everything possible in the regular season and Paul’s absence.
Read and react
Either way, they said they know how to attack each style.
“They’ll read it,” D’Antoni said. “If they trap, we got 48,000 open shots (on Thursday). We just didn’t make them in the last three minutes. Nothing to worry about there. If they stay back, with Chris, we’ll have that midsize jump shot, so that’s good. James can get to the rim on anybody and do what he does.
“We’ve seen that. Utah does that, dropping them back (with) Rudy Gobert. They do that stuff. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
With the NBA’s top-rated offense, scoring should not be an issue. But if the most recent games offered anything, beyond good workouts against a variety of defenses, it was the Rockets will stick with what they have done. Teams might go from giving up one-on-one possessions to take away 3s to defending one-on-ones and taking their chances on the 3s. The Rockets won’t care, but they will notice and take it from there.
“I’ve said it all year,” Paul said. “We are who we are. Do we shy away from 3s? So, should we now? You know what I mean? No. So, we’re going to be who we are.”