The Houston Rockets have one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA this season, and their increased emphasis on ball security has played a vital role in that success.
Houston committed only six turnovers in its 140-116 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, the middle game of a three-game homestand that concludes Sunday against the Orlando Magic. The Rockets, as is usually the case, claimed the rebounding battle (plus-five) against the Blazers, and their lack of turnovers fueled a plus-17 margin in shot attempts.
Their blend of advantages, plus a lack of miscues, helped the Rockets shoot 50% overall and 17 of 45 (38%) from behind the 3-point arc. The ball popped in halfcourt sets against Portland; with the Rockets unencumbered by abundant turnovers, they were almost unstoppable on the offensive end.
“I think they go hand in hand,” said Rockets coach Ime Udoka. “When we don’t overpenetrate and dribble into the crowd and keep it simple, get to our spacing and our outlets, especially with double teams coming, we know we’re going to generate good shots.”
“For the most part, it’s taking care of the ball and keeping it simple. There’s no magic formula to it. If you see somebody open, get it to them and let them make a play and get the numbers behind it. All of our guys are trusting each other as far as that.”
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with nine assists against Portland. Four of his teammates recorded at least three assists. Paced by Kevin Durant, who poured in a game-high 30 points, seven Rockets reached double figures in points with shot distribution between 12 and 19 attempts for their top five scorers.
An egalitarian approach led to breathless production on offense. The Rockets have established a template for their offensive success; one they seem intent on following.
“It shows we’re moving the basketball and playing through each other,” Durant said. “It’s a team effort if you want to score as many points as we did (Friday), and we’ve got to continue to rely on one another if we want to keep this up.”
The Magic were without standout forward Paolo Banchero (groin) in their 105-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. Orlando plugged Tristan da Silva into the starting lineup, and he responded with 22 points and nine rebounds, drilling 5-of-9 3-point attempts.
In advance of his promotion, the Magic asked Da Silva to play with the same confidence he displayed while participating for Germany during FIBA EuroBasket this past summer. That experience bolstered Da Silva and prepared him for what could be an extended stint with a larger role for the Magic, as Banchero is set to be sidelined for an indefinite period of time.
“His level of confidence grew, and that’s what we’ve asked him to do,” said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley. “Not afraid of those big moments, not afraid to make plays. And that’s what we’ll continue to need from him. The swagger that he plays with, we’re going to continue to need that from him.”
