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The Rockets are setting a new precedent in the NBA that could have a huge impact on the Golden State Warriors next season.
We should all be familiar with the Houston Rockets basketball brand by now. After all, they basically copied it straight off the Golden State Warriors drawing board. However, this season they chose to do something radical, ditching the center position entirely and putting together a lineup of five little guys.
While this is similar to the death lineup that started the Warriors dynasty, the Rockets have taken things a bit further by having Robert Covington as their tallest player at just 6’8 ″. The five starters of James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon, Robert Covington and PJ Tucker are severely challenged vertically, but the idea is simple: Three points beats two.
Most assumed the Rockets would look to overwhelm opponents with their offense, as their defense would take a hit. Playing a full lineup of 3-point shooters should be enough to cause trouble and force big opponents out of the game. But in what could have been an unwanted result, the Rockets have actually been BETTER on defense.
The Rockets are successfully hitting the best shots in basketball. They have kept opponents in the fourth fewest points in the paint and the second lowest percentage from the 3-point line. This is his exact ideology on offense coming into play on defense.
This happens in large part because opponents believe they can dominate the Rockets’ smaller players in the paint. This has led to many post-ups, most of which have resulted in a missed shot or fumble.
Consequently, the Rockets have jumped to a 1-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in a convincing victory in Game 1. Houston’s prolonged success could spark a league-wide revolution.
The NBA walked away from the post for a reason. It is no longer an effective means of scoring. But, the Rockets have somehow convinced their opponents to test them relentlessly in the post. For a player like Tucker, this is playing directly to his advantage, since, in all honesty, he is a better defender here than on the perimeter.
What does this mean for the Warriors? Well, it should catch your interest. They have the list to run this exact system, only better. Draymond Green would thrive in the role of Tucker, while Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are significantly better shooters than Westbrook and Harden.
Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins fits the mold of what the Warriors would want to do here. He is a versatile wing that can fly around the court and create problems for opposing players. Adding one or two more players like this would give the Dubs a revamped system ready to compete at a high level.
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Of course, it all depends on how long the Rockets continue to be successful. Surely a championship run from Houston would set a new precedent in the NBA. One that the Warriors could create without a hitch.
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