LAKE CHARLES, La. — The Rockets concluded their three-day training camp session on Thursday at the Legacy Center at McNeese State University and are headed back to Houston to prepare for their first preseason game on Sunday versus San Antonio.
One of the main focuses for head coach Stephen Silas was to implement a new offensive scheme that would help benefit rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. and second-year center Alperen Sengun.
With Smith’s ability to space the floor with his shooting and Sengun’s low-post presence, Silas is looking for a way to utilize and enhance both players’ skills in the frontcourt.
“We are starting five-out and then we are going into four-out and one-in,” Silas told reporters after practice. “That is new for us. Getting to those spots are new to us, so we are doing a lot of drilling (teaching) along those lines.”
The departure of sharpshooting big man Christian Wood, who was traded in the offseason to Dallas, allows Sengun to be inserted into the starting lineup. His unique skillset as a physical post presence and a strong passer will let the Rockets do different things on offense.
“I want him to roll on the pick-and-roll, and I want us to look for him when he rolls,” Silas said when asked about using Sengun in the new scheme. “He is such a good playmaker and being static when we are making plays, when he is making plays, isn’t great for our offense.”
“So, if he rolls and we can hit him on the short roll, and now he is attacking the rim or making a play for a teammate, or those look to the corner pass to the wing,” Silas added. “That is what we are trying to get him to do.”
Sengun followed in the footsteps of teammates Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green by playing some of his best basketball during a seven-game stretch to finish his rookie season, which occurred with Wood on the sidelines. The 20-year-old averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game and shot 49% overall in that run, including back-to-back games with double digits in points and rebounds.
Having Sengun on the floor has proven very helpful, as he has excellent court vision, and the offense can be run through him once he pops to the top of the key. One focal point for Silas is to ensure that teammates continue to move when he has the ball in his hands.
“I don’t want him catching and everyone else standing around watching,” Silas said. “His basketball instincts are so good that him standing still takes away one of the advantages he has, as far as catching and making a play.”
