Three-dimensional success
Successive foes buried from afar in third quarter
ATLANTA — This really is not the Rockets’ strategy. If they went back to making their 3-pointers in the first half, no one would object. Until then, they are not going to let a few clanged 3s shake them, much less get them to — perish the thought — stop shooting.
When the Rockets turned around a misfiring first half on Sunday, pouring in 10 3-pointers in the third quarter, coach Mike D’Antoni said a team that could miss 27 3-pointers in Game 7 and keep firing away will not shy away in midMarch. By Tuesday night, when they clanged through another first half, they could lean on a happier and considerably more recent memory.
Just as they had days earlier,
the Rockets misfired for a half and then blasted their way through the second half, burying the Atlanta Hawks 121-105, much as they had the Minnesota Timberwolves two days earlier. They even seemed to like doing it this way.
“Me and James (Harden) were talking about it,” said guard Chris Paul, who had eight of his 13 points and eight of his 11 assists in the second half. “In the first half, we weren’t making anything. We looked up and it was tied up or we were down two at some point, and we were like, ‘Once we start making shots we can blow this game open.’
“That’s what I always say. If we’re not making shots, you better go on a run on us. Because once we start making shots, it’s trouble.”
With the Rockets winning 12 of 13 games, it would be difficult to argue. But the difference in that stretch, they said, is they are defending well enough to keep the games tight until the run comes.
“It’s going to come,” said guard Eric Gordon, who went four-of-seven from deep. “You just have to continue taking those shots.”
When it came on Sunday, the Rockets went from making eight of 24 3s in the first half to sinking 10 in the third quarter and going 13-of-26 in the second half.
On Tuesday, they made just four of 21 3-pointers in the first half, then dropped eight in the third quarter, going 15-of-26 and matching their most in a half this season.
“I think we did a really good job,” Harden said. “In the first half, they only had 47 points. Offensively, we knew we were going to make shots and we were going to get hot. It’s all about our defense. If we’re locked in with our defense, the offense will come around eventually.”
Harden went from hitting one of six 3-pointers in the first half to putting in three of five in the second half, finishing with 31 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds and giving himself 30-point scoring games against every opponent in the NBA.
Clint Capela, who kept the offense afloat when the Rockets were misfiring, had 26 points with 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes.
The difference in the Rockets in their past three games, however, could be the shooter who was not even with the team over most of their recent run.
When the Rockets could not make shots, Danuel House Jr. did. When they pulled away, he put in more 3s. House made a career-high six 3-pointers (on 11 attempts) to score a season-high 19 points. In his three games since returning, House has connected on 12 of 22 3-pointers. In 28 games with the Rockets this season, he has made a team-high 41.8 percent of his 3s.
“I’ve become a student of the game even more,” House said. “And my confidence, the coaching staff and players have poured a whole bunch of confidence in me.
“I’m just playing the right way and taking the open shots. The ball is falling for me.”
He has given the Rockets one more reason to expect the shots to fall. By now, the Rockets are convinced if they miss for a half, they’ll turn it on in the next half.
“You never want that as a coach, obviously, but yes, they know,” D’Antoni said. “I remember coaching Steve Nash. I’d be upset. I was young then, so I had lower blood pressure. He’d look and say, ‘Coach, stay calm, relax. They’re not going to beat us.’
“They feel the same way. Now, it doesn’t always work out that way. You just have to trust your guys. Most of the time they’re right.”