Houston Rockets: Key Takeaways From Recent Losses

The Houston Rockets have dropped their last two games after beating the 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder. Three things have been noticed from these two big losses, but have also impacted the team throughout the season.

Houston's shooting has been very inconsistent. The Rockets currently sit at No. 26 in the league in shooting percentage, making only 43.7% of their shots. Shooting only 32.8% from 3-point range, the team in No. 25 in the league. However, it goes just beyond them as a team. Every individual player has been struggling this season. In order for Houston to win big games, they need to shoot the ball well. Defense does indeed win championships, but shooting and total offense is going to win these big games, especially without Tari Eason on the floor.

The two losses against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors helped the Rockets fall to 15-8, tied with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies for No. 2 in the Western Conference.

Hierarchy is important to any NBA team. Houston does not seem to have a player to give the ball to in a needed moment, or a set play to assure them a bucket. Fred VanVleet is currently the only player who can get hot in the clutch, with Jalen Green right behind him. However, in a needed moment during the first three quarters, there has been no establishment to who gets the ball and when. It seems as if the players do not know who to give the ball to most of the time.

Green does not get the ball very much in a half-court set, which not only is pushing his numbers down the drain, but is also impacting the team. He is one of the fastest players in the league, and he knows his speed. The team knows this as well.

Golden State's announcers mentioned this on their broadcast. They recognized that Green is one of the best young stars, but his inconsistencies are also based on the lack of half-court possesions for him. The 22-year-old showed what he is capable of doing in the beginning of the season, where he was getting the ball more. Coexistence between young-players on this team is starting to look fractured due to their inconsistencies in ball-movement and lack of hierarchy.

Getting stops has also looked scarce for the team of late, seen in the Kings 15 straight shots. DeMar DeRozan was unstoppable from the mid-range and Houston looked lost trying to defend him.

Against the Warriors, whenever the Rockets would come back, Golden State would go on six to eight point runs, giving them the advantage. Stops are crucial for Houston, and they need to be able to convert on the opposite end when they do force a turnover or missed shot. This was also part of the reason they lost to both teams — when the Rockets did get a stop, the team missed several shots, some being open layups.

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