For the Rockets, the Shooting Struggles Are Not the Biggest Issue

The Houston Rockets are back in action Friday as they travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, continuing their last long road trip of the regular season with Friday's game being game two of four.

The Rockets have suffered two straight devastating losses against one team that didn't win a game in February, the Chicago Bulls, and the latest loss at Minnesota in a game where they were without their best player, Anthony Edwards.

The loss against the Timberwolves stung even more because the Rockets suffered the worst overtime loss in play-by-play history, blowing a 13-point lead with only three minutes left.

They were the first team to blow a double-digit lead, as in the previous 180 times it happened, the team trailing by double digits lost the game. The two losses highlighted the issues the Rockets have had all season, from poor shooting to a lack of adjustments by the coaching staff, and their biggest flaw this season, turning the ball over.

In the last two losses, the Rockets have turned the ball over a combined 37 times, resulting in 42 points. The last two games aren't an aberration; this has been an issue all season for the Rockets.

The Rockets Have Struggled With Turnovers All Season Long

When Fred VanVleet went down with a potential season-ending injury, the Rockets not only lost their on- and off-court vocal leader, but also their floor general. VanVleet was the player who kept everyone calm and could handle defensive pressure without turning the ball over.

His ability to handle the ball played a major role in the Rockets' decision to sign him during free agency in 2023. During the Rockets' rebuilding phase, they were one of the highest-turnover teams in the NBA year in and year out.

The signing of VanVleet paid off immediately, as the Rockets had their best year in franchise history in taking care of the basketball. That led to the Rockets improving by 19 games from the previous season, which was the best in the league.

Rockets finished eighth in turnovers that season and 11th in the 2024-25 season. The Rockets were maximizing their possessions, and even when they struggled from the field, they could rely on their offensive rebounding and not turning the ball over.

That has not been the case this season, as the Rockets have struggled to take care of the basketball, sometimes not even getting the ball across half-court while teams pressure them in the backcourt. The Rockets have depended on Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun to initiate most of the offense, which at times has not worked out, with both players, especially Durant, having multiple high-turnover games.

The Rockets rank 27th in turnovers this season at 15.8 per game, and it's been even worse since the All-Star break, ranking 28th with 16.9 per game.

When you miss a shot, normally it just results in a rebound for the other team, and you still have time to get back on defense unless it is a long rebound. The problem with turning the ball over is that it often leads to a fast break by your opponent, leaving your team scrambling on defense and out of position.

Especially live ball turnovers in the backcourt because you are normally at a disadvantage, which leads to an easy layup on the other end. The Rockets have dealt with that all season, with lazy passes and, at times, just not paying attention, gifting their opponent easy two points.

Also, what makes turnovers worse than poor shooting is the fact that it limits the Rockets' strength, which is offensive rebounding. With a turnover you dont even attempt a shot and with the Rockets being one of the slowest pace teams in the NBA they dont get up a lot of shots each game compared to the league average.

The Rockets do not have the type of roster that can overcome high turnover games because they are not a highly efficient offensive team and need every possession they can get to win games consistently.

In the playoffs, high-turnover games are almost a guarantee way to lose a series, and with only ten games left, the Rockets will have to clean up this part of their game, or they will have their second straight season with a first-round exit.