Rockets vs. 76ers Takeaways: No Shot Creators Led To A Bad Shooting Night
The Houston Rockets dropped their sixth consecutive game during a 123-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers Monday night. Here are three takeaways from the Rockets' performance inside the Wells Fargo Center.
Rough shooting from behind the arc:
When Jalen Green connected on a contested triple with 3 minutes and 43 seconds left in the third quarter, it marked the Rockets first made 3-point field goal of the night.
Houston missed all nine of their attempts during the first half. And by the end of the final buzzer, the Rockets missed 18 out of 24 attempts.
Coach Stephen Silas described Houston's subpar 3-point shooting as "tight." He said there were several moments where his players looked indecisive when determining whether or not to attempt a 3-point shot.
"It seemed like there were times we were, 'should I shoot or should I pass,'" Silas said. "Guys are pressing and obviously we are not making them. Guys are feeling the pressure when it comes to shooting the 3-ball."
Missing Eric Gordon and Kevin Porter Jr. as shot creators:
Silas credited Houston's 3-point shooting struggles due to the lack of shot creators. Kevin Porter Jr. missed his 16th consecutive game with a left foot injury, and the Rockets traded Eric Gordon to the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday afternoon.
Gordon and Porter were Houston's top two playmakers this season. And the absence of their services led to the Rockets having one of their worst shooting nights of the year.
"The way we are set up now, especially without KPJ, we don't have much creation for drive and kick 3's," Silas said. "Shot creation is the thing I am most concerned with — we have to do a better job of that.
"Right now, we replaced Eric in the starting lineup with [Jae'Sean] Tate, and that is going to take away the spacing. It's going to take an adjustment for the group."
Vintage James Harden shows up against the Rockets:
James Harden said he was in a "good place" during his time with the Rockets. And Monday night, he returned to a good place.
Harden scored his second-highest point total against Houston with 28 points (9-18 FG, 4-9 3PT, 6-7 FT), 10 assists, two steals and a pair of blocks in the win. He helped the 76ers take control in the third quarter with 14 points.
Best performance:
Jalen Green had a rough first half. He had nine points on 1-of-9 shooting. But he picked up his performance in the third quarter. Green scored 17 points in the period and finished the night with a game-high 29 points. His night included shooting a career-best 15 made baskets from the foul line.
Worst performance:
Jabari Smith Jr. went from his most impactful game to his least. Smith recorded his eighth career double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points. But he accounted for a team-high five of Houston's 17 turnovers. Smith also posted a team-high minus-20 in the loss.
Final Words:
"We have one more game before the break. Hopefully, we'll get some confidence back when it comes to shooting." — Stephen Silas
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
Want the latest in news and insider information on the Houston Rockets? Click here
Follow Inside the Rockets on Facebook here
Make sure to subscribe to our weekly podcast Bleav In The Rockets today! Click here To Listen.
Follow Inside the Rockets on Twitter @InsideRocketsFN
