The Houston Rockets sit at 13-6. Their season has been marked by extreme highs and severe lows. Unfortunately, for the Rockets, an NBA game takes place over the course of four quarters rather than just three. The impetus is on Coach Kevin McHale to instill discipline into his players and avoid lethargy. However, there are simple issues that are currently looming over the Rockets yet to be addressed. What could have been a signature and season defining streak close to November gave way to a frustrating reminder of the roster’s shortcomings in December.
When the Rockets shots aren’t falling, or the game isn’t coming easily to them, there is one maddening habit that they fail to break. The Rockets are consistently flopping and seeking a whistle to bail them out of poor shot selection. The Rockets consistently fail to establish Dwight Howard throughout the course of a game, let alone the beginning of one, and it results in reversion to old habits. The Rockets, in turn, settle for jump shots, poor drives, and panic-based turnovers. Even more maddeningly, the Rockets consistently attempt three-point shots and shy away from contact. Why, though, is this an issue?
It’s simple. The Rockets thrive on free throws, layups, and three-pointers. In their hesitance to drive or establish Dwight Howard in the post, the Rockets are abandoning their best chance to put points on the board. It really boils down to the simple fact that the Rockets will not get foul calls on three-point shots and they will not put their opponents in the penalty if they continue to seek to avoid contact. This has gotten even worse in recent games where the three-point shot becomes an obsession. The Rockets fall down on contested three’s. Not figuratively, literally. The shooter hits the deck and begs for a call. Nine times out of ten that call doesn’t come and the other team has a man advantage.
The Rockets 112-106 victory against the Spurs was the perfect opportunity for Houston to finally put their mark on the season. The Rockets played that game exactly as Daryl Morey had intended this team to play. The Rockets ran when they had the opportunity, kept pounding the ball inside, and didn’t shy away from getting to the basket. Against Utah the Rockets settled for jumpers, begged for calls, and failed to take advantage of Dwight Howard on the block. Injuries are a convenient excuse for the loss but there’s a point where these lapses can’t be forgiven. Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin will not solve the failure to use the post. That failure rests solely on McHale’s shoulders.
That’s not to say McHale’s coaching has been a complete nightmare this season. Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons will help to solve one major problem of this offense. The lack of consistent attacking is a problem that those two help to stabilize. James Harden, the most maligned Rocket in social media, is at once a savior and saboteur to the offense. His singular effort often helps propel the Rockets to victory but he also manages to shoot the team out of games when he gets complacent. That’s not even addressing his defensive woes. Ultimately, the Rockets fall victim to complacency that is more indicative of McHale’s “fast and loose” system of last season. Why is this an issue?
The majority of the roster wasn’t even present last season. NBA Players have a propensity of abandoning cohesive basketball when given the option of playing pick-up basketball. In the long-term that’s not sustainable. The Rockets offensive design lends itself well to rec-league basketball but it requires a structure; one with an offensive design and an endgame. When that endgame is abandoned the Rockets game plan falls apart. The defense goes completely absent and the efficiency the Rockets strive for causes an unmitigated collapse of the team.
On the back of this article, however, let’s not be alarmist. The Rockets are a brand new team with a brand new identity wholly separable from who they were last year. It’s a matter of time until it’s all put together and consistency gets established. The season is less than a quarter of the way over. The All-Star Break will be a fair appraisal point for the team. If the team fails to play as a cohesive unit and on a consistent basis, the Coach McHale may find himself on the hot seat in Houston. Something worth considering, however, is how much of that hot-seat is on McHale and how much of it is on his player’s free-will in abandoning the game plan?
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