Defensive Disaster! Houston Defense Needs a Major Overhaul – Now!
The defensive attack for the Houston Rockets might need a tune-up as the team enters the season’s final stretch. The offense has been producing at a high level, especially since the end of the All-Star Break. However, the Rockets’ defense isn’t producing at the same level, despite establishing much of their identity on the defensive end.
Houston’s defense has fallen off during the last several weeks of the season. Opponents have averaged 113.7 points per game in Houston’s last four outings. During the Rockets’ six-game losing streak, opposing teams scored an average of 116 points per game. That mark would be placed with the league’s bottom 10 teams.
The Rockets allowed just two opponents to score over 120 points in a game until near the end of January. Since a second-straight win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they’ve allowed opponents to reach the mark in five games. The only silver lining for the Rockets is that the league’s highest-scoring teams are scoring at high levels against Houston.
After a high-scoring victory against Cleveland, the Rockets allowed the Memphis Grizzlies to reach 120 points in a one-point defeat. Houston then suffered a defeat to the New York Knicks, allowing the Knicks to score 124 points and win despite a big game from Amen Thompson.
The Rockets allowed the Minnesota Timberwolves to score 127 points, the highest total from an opponent during the losing streak. Houston then had their toughest outing since the losing streak, allowing the Utah Jazz to score 124 points in a disheartening defeat.
Houston is struggling somewhat on defense, but it has the tools to turn things around and continue through the season as one of the league’s top defensive teams. The Rockets are the sixth-best team in opponents’ points per game. They are also in the top ten for opponent 3-point percentage and in the top 10 for opponent field goal percentage.
The Rockets employ several top-tier athletes and high-quality defenders. They’ll continue to lean on Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, and Tari Eason to guard some of the league’s best players. The return of Jabari Smith Jr. adds an element Houston has missed for a significant stretch. Smith Jr. is a quality help defender, and he’s capable of blocking shots away when smaller players drive the paint.
Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green are the players who took the most time to adjust to the defensive requirements from coach Ime Udoka. The pair of young players have bought into the team’s new focus on the defensive end. While neither player is considered a ‘stopper,’ they have stepped in when the Rockets have needed them most and given quality results.
The Rockets will need a return to their defensive philosophy for the rest of the season to bring back some of their success to start the season.
