Without a 'True Point Guard,' the Rockets Just Set a New Assist Mark

From the day the Houston Rockets and the entire NBA learned that Fred VanVleet had suffered a potential season-ending injury, one narrative placed on the Rockets was that they no longer had a "true point guard."

Many believed the Rockets would struggle to run their offense even with the addition of future Hall of Fame player Kevin Durant, whom they acquired this offseason. The criticisms grew louder as the Rockets failed to bring in another guard before the season, at the trade deadline, or through the buyout market.

The Rockets have tried Amen Thompson at point guard, along with Reed Sheppard and, at times, Aaron Holiday. Opposing teams have tried to take advantage of the Rockets' lack of ball handlers by pressuring them in the backcourt and forcing them to beat full-court pressure.

The Rockets have struggled with turnovers at times this season, ranking in the bottom ten in turnovers per game for most of the season. They have leaned heavily on Durant and Alperen Sengun as their primary playmakers, which is why teams have double- and sometimes triple-teamed Sengun, specifically Durant, to get the ball out of his hands.

The Rockets have had to try and figure out all season how to become a better overall passing team since they dont have VanVleet to orchestrate every play. Despite the high turnover numbers at times this season, the Rockets have gotten better at taking care of the basketball and moving the ball so it doesn't stagnate on offense.

The Rockets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks for their fourth straight win on Wednesday and finished the game with 30 assists on 41 made baskets. Recently, the Rockets' assist numbers have gone up, and their turnover numbers have gone down, leading them to achieve something they haven't done in 4 decades.

The Rockets’ Four-Game Stretch Has Produced Assist Numbers Not Seen in Decades

Over the last four decades, the Rockets have had some great playmakers. Players like Tracy McGrady, James Harden, and Chris Paul have all been the focal point of the Rockets' offense as playmakers over the years. Even in the previous two seasons, the Rockets had VanVleet, who set a career high in assists in his first season with the Rockets.

Even with all of those playmakers, they hadn't had a four-game stretch where they had 30+ assists in four straight games until the current Rockets' recent four-game winning streak.

The 30 assists Wednesday night mark the fourth straight game with 30+ assists, something the Rockets hadn't done since 1986. That is over four decades of Rockets teams, and the team without a "traditional point guard" just achieved that feat.

In fact, the Rockets have 16 such games this season, the most since they accomplished it 17 times in the 1996-97 season. Even though the entire team has contributed to the increase in assists, Durant has been the main reason.

Over the last five games, Durant has 41 assists and only 15 turnovers. Also, over the last five games, he has had six-plus assists for the first time since March of 2022. As teams continue to try to force the ball out of his hands, his ability to make quick, right decisions with the basketball could be huge in the playoffs.

Of course, any team would love to have a Chris Paul or James Harden-type point guard who controls the entire game, but for the Rockets, they are learning that even without VanVleet, they can be a good and sometimes even great passing team.