The Houston Rockets want to get better defensively. Head coach Stephen Silas has been beyond clear regarding his biggest frustration with the 2021-22 team that finished last in the NBA with a 20-62 record.
“I want to be a better defensive team,” Silas said. “We just have to be, and for young guys, that’s hard. Hard for them to grasp the defensive end and be able to anticipate what’s coming. To see a set develop and know where they’re supposed to be, when they’re supposed to be there and be there on time. I want to improve on the defensive end.”
Last season, Houston finished with the worst defensive rating in the league at 116.4 points per 100 possessions, and they were No. 28 (of 30 teams) in defensive rebounds at just 32 per game. In contrast, the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors, who are playing in the NBA Finals this month, finished No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in defensive rating. They were both top five teams in defensive rebounding, as well.
Despite any shift in basketball towards the offensive game, it’s good defensive teams that are finding the most success. The Rockets just didn’t have a lot in common last season with these veteran-laden, disciplined teams that ran circles around the rest of the NBA.
When forecasting Houston’s future, one current problem is that their probable big-ticket acquisitions don’t necessarily project them to be much better defensively. Duke forward Paolo Banchero appears to be the likely draft pick at No. 3 overall in the 2022 first round, and his biggest knock as a prospect is how his defensive game transitions to the NBA level. Big man Christian Wood is under contract for another season in Houston, and he is considered a relative liability on that end, as well.
The Rockets are in desperate need to import defensive talent in one capacity or another. Somehow, elsewhere in the Western Conference, an interesting opportunity has emerged. While the rest of the league talks about how current…
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