There was little reason to expect the Houston Rockets’ offseason addition of Kevin Durant to their lineup would yield a seamless transition, even given Durant’s reputation as one of the premier scorers in NBA history and the Rockets’ standing as one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
Relatedly, after committing 25 turnovers in a season-opening loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last Tuesday, the Rockets shot only 38.6% in their 115-111 setback to the Detroit Pistons in their home opener on Friday.
With the Brooklyn Nets scheduled to visit Houston on Monday — just 27 hours after completing a 118-107 loss at San Antonio — the Rockets understand that they remain a work in progress despite lofty preseason expectations.
The Rockets have labored unleashing an efficient offensive attack. Their “skyline’ starting unit, the tallest since the NBA began tracking starting lineups more than 50 years ago, has scuffled to generate the spacing needed to take full advantage of Durant’s myriad skills. Durant scored a game-high 37 points against the Pistons, but the Rockets opened the second half with Josh Okogie on the court and 6-foot-7 wing Amen Thompson, their shortest starter, coming off the bench.
Okogie provided a spark, and the Rockets found additional rhythm with Alperen Sengun playing as the lone big on the court during the third quarter. Despite their ability to utilize unique personnel groupings, the Rockets have yet to maximize the potential of their roster construction.
“It’s always good having a versatile team, but knowing when to throw these different lineups out there, that’s the toughest job as a coach,” Durant said. “We’ll be patient and keep growing and keep figuring things out.
“Our offense will get better.”
Putting Durant in a position to attack opposing defenses with efficiency is the first order of business. The Rockets have yet to unlock the spacing needed for Durant to thrive in the halfcourt, while their early offensive pace has inhibited Thompson’s exceptional athleticism.
“I think we’re playing too upright,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “That’s going to be the formula this year is (for opponents) try to get up under guys. So you want to work on that and come off with some pace, whether it’s pick-and-roll or off-ball actions. We haven’t been great at that. Not just transition, but we’d like to play faster with more force in the halfcourt, for sure.”
The Nets’ 11-point road loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday featured a rally from a 26-point deficit. Brooklyn even grabbed a 90-89 fourth-quarter lead after trailing 81-55 early in the third period.
Cam Thomas scored 40 points for the Nets, his 10th career 40-point game that matched Durant for third-most in franchise history. But the youthful Nets are in search of consistency — not only game-to-game but within each game itself.
“I think we got 1% better from the first game to the second and from the second to the third,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Now, can we do it before their lead gets too big, and play with that urgency?
“I love what I’m seeing. I love the competitiveness, the fight. Now we’ve got to move on to the next one. It’s a quick turnaround.”
