HOUSTON — Fourteen games into the regular season for the Houston Rockets (2-12), and it is evident this is still a very young group trying to figure it out as they go. We’ve seen lineups and rotations being put on the court that need to be more consistent.
Yet, the biggest issue facing the Rockets today is the lack of ball movement that has recently plagued their offense. It has led to numerous isolation plays being run by point guard Kevin Porter Jr. and shooting guard Jalen Green. Even though they are among the NBA’s top duos at beating defenders in one-on-one situations, it has led to some of their teammates standing around on the perimeter and waiting for the ball to possibly be sent their way for an open shot.
“If you have a winning mentality, moving the ball is something you should do,” Rockets guard Eric Gordon said after Monday’s 122-106 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. “Believing in your teammates and believing in what you should do, that’s the way it goes when you’re trying to win. We didn’t do that.”
😡
— Eric Gordon (@TheofficialEG10) November 15, 2022
Not doing it has been the theme this season when the Rockets have lost close games they believe they should have won. Having a talented but young team looking for its identity has caused many sleepless nights for head coach Stephen Silas, whose team came out very flat against the Clippers — scoring only 46 points in the first half.
“There definitely was some frustration,” Silas told reporters. “I’m not exactly sure what the source of it was, whether it was previous losses or whatever. But there was frustration on the floor. I could feel it. There was just something tonight, one of those out of 82 that you just have a little frustration about.”
“In the spirit of ball movement, I see your point,” said Rockets HC Stephen Silas when I asked him about the stagnation of the offense that led to a bunch of isolation plays by the guards. #LightTheFuse #Sarge pic.twitter.com/JKlReagNk2
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) November 15, 2022
The Clippers’ switching defense caused problems for the Rockets, but there were still plenty of opportunities to get the ball to an open player, and that did not happen enough. Even with a stellar third-quarter performance by Green, when hit 6-of-7 shots to score 15 points, Gordon and Jabari Smith Jr. had one shot attempt between the two of them. They combined for a total of 10 attempts for the game.
Smith has struggled with his shot in the last five games, shooting just 29.3% (12-for-41) overall and 21.7% on 3-pointers (5-for-23). At times, he has been out of position, as he is still learning to play in an NBA offense. But a lack of ball movement has caused him to be effectively stranded on an island and waiting for the ball to be swung.
“The way to get him more opportunities is to push the ball, get the ball into the paint, and get to our drive and kicks,” Silas said postgame. “Spacing the floor well is the way we can get him more involved.”
On Wednesday night, the Rockets look to make amends when they take on the Mavericks (7-5) inside the American Airlines Center. Tipoff from Dallas is at 7:30 p.m. Central.
