Shared styles can mean 3-for-alls

In each of the past two seasons, in one of the meetings of the Rockets and Nets, the teams set NBA records for combined 3-pointers attempted in a game. They put up 89 in a game in 2017-18 and then took 106 in an overtime game last season, with the teams combining to attempt 99 3-pointers before overtime and the Rockets putting up an astounding 70 3s in the game.

This was in large part because of the offensive philosophies Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni and the Nets’ Kenny Atkinson have shared since Atkinson was an assistant under D’Antoni with the Knicks.

“Me and Mike have a pregame bet; who’s going to shoot more 3s,” Atkinson said. Moments later, however, he thought better of that.

“They’re the best at it,” Atkinson said. “James (Harden) and Russell (Westbrook) cause a lot of that by their thrust to the rim, how much attention (they draw.) It’s a little more difficult for us to get them up there. They definitely have a system that’s predicated on that, but also two superstars that can collapse the defense and put up 3s.

“I don’t think we’ll win that game, who’ll get the most 3s.”

The Rockets average 45.2 3-point attempts per game, leading the NBA. The Nets attempt the sixth-most, 37.3, though that has been limited in part by playing so much of the season without guards Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert.