Among the great stories from the start of the season, thanks to their summer market, the progress of their young people and the arrival of a coach with an iron fist, the Rockets are currently on a bad slope. Especially in defense!
On Wednesday evening, in this case, Ime Udoka's men quite simply delivered their worst copy in a first half this season, allowing Trae Young's Hawks to score 77 points in 24 minutes…
Worse, over their last three games, the Rockets have allowed an average of 134.3 points to their opponents, and this at indecent percentages of 50% including 41% at 3-points… Unacceptable!
“We had guys who scored but we didn't do enough on the defensive side, nor in being tough on dragging balls and offensive rebounds [qu’on leur a laissés]. Offense is only one side of the game.” regrets Ime Udoka in the Houston Chronicle. “We obviously have to do better than that in defense, and get back to the level we showed this year. Over these last three meetings, we haven't done that at all! »
“Our defense cracked, that’s obvious”
Yet among the best defenses in the league this season, the Rockets are currently in tough times. A temporary fatigue which still caused a series of three losses in a row, and caused them to fall from 2nd to 6th place in the ranking of the most effective defenses.
“It’s difficult enough as it is. [de gagner en NBA]but even more so if we let the opposing team find their comfort, by letting them play as they want, by giving them wide open shots,” adds Fred VanVleet. “It’s a big attacking team with shooters but we didn’t make it difficult enough for them on defense. On the contrary, we let them play too easily. Our defender changes were too loose. We weren't able to get into them and set the tone in defense. »
Continuing to blow hot and cold this season, with this negative series of three games which follows another positive series of five successes in a row, the Rockets confirm that they remain, despite everything, a team still in formation. Still very dependent on its leaders, and Fred VanVleet in particular.
“Our defense cracked, that’s obvious”concludes Ime Udoka. “We then managed a good third quarter at 21 points by defending hard, showing what we could do… Before squandering everything at the start of the last quarter! We took Fred out and fell off a cliff! »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Alperen Sengun | 24 | 32.2 | 52.7 | 29.3 | 67.0 | 2.5 | 6.4 | 8.9 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 19.9 |
| Jalen Green | 24 | 30.9 | 40.2 | 33.1 | 81.5 | 0.3 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 17.5 |
| Fred Vanvleet | 23 | 38.3 | 39.1 | 38.7 | 86.7 | 0.3 | 4.0 | 4.4 | 8.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 17.1 |
| Dillon Brooks | 24 | 31.9 | 47.3 | 39.5 | 83.0 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 14.0 |
| Jabari Smith, Jr. | 24 | 29.9 | 47.5 | 35.6 | 74.4 | 1.8 | 6.8 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 12.3 |
| Tari Eason | 17 | 21.0 | 47.3 | 41.7 | 65.5 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 9.3 |
| Jeff Green | 23 | 15.9 | 57.1 | 34.6 | 83.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 7.4 |
| Aaron Holiday | 22 | 17.9 | 46.0 | 43.1 | 86.7 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 7.1 |
| Amen Thompson | 5 | 15.4 | 41.7 | 16.7 | 62.5 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 5.4 |
| Jae'sean Tate | 22 | 17.8 | 48.4 | 35.9 | 71.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 5.3 |
| Cam Whitmore | 5 | 6.4 | 46.7 | 20.0 | 50.0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 4.0 |
| Boban Marjanovic | 3 | 6.7 | 55.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Nate Williams, Jr. | 4 | 5.4 | 54.5 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.3 |
| Nathaniel Hinton | 4 | 4.1 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| Reggie Bullock | 11 | 8.4 | 35.0 | 35.3 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.9 |
| Jock Landale | 16 | 8.5 | 35.7 | 20.0 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
| Jermaine Samuels | 5 | 5.7 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
