OKC Thunder: 5 keys to victory over Rockets
Transition defense:
Although the Rockets are best known for their barrage of 3-point shooting they rank second only to the Raptors in points scored in transition with 25.8 points per game. This means Billy Donovan will need to have his team prepared to defend on several fronts.
The Rockets will run on makes or misses, will pull up at the perimeter, or drive directly to the paint for their other favorite shot the dunk or layin.
While they aren’t the best 3-point shooting team (34.5 percent) they live on volume over efficiency taking the most 3-pointers in the association with 45.3 attempts per game.
OKC has to be sharp to stay in front of the Rockets and Harden so they can’t quickly leak out to get up a pull up three or garner an easy bucket.
Discipline is key:
Another area of the game the Rockets thrive off is drawing fouls. Harden spends hours upon hours every summer invested in figuring out ways to take advantage of the rules.
Whether it be his rip through motion or his patented push off that somehow almost always gets called against his defender instead of him.
As a team, the Rockets get to the charity stripe 26.3 times per game second only to the Clippers. Harden averages 11.8 attempts all his own.
Limit the turnovers:
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Akin to the points above the Rockets will run the minute they force a turnover and once again this is another area they excel in. On the season they rank fourth in points scored off turnovers with 18.9 per contest ranking behind only the Bulls, Raptors and Lakers.
It’s important the OKC ballhandlers are extra cautious since the Houston defenders have quick hands and rank third in steals behind the Bulls and Raptors with 8.7 per game.
Grab the Windex:
Since the Rockets will run on everything it’s important the Thunder take advantage of their size and win the rebounding battle. In spite of their overall small lineup, the Rockets are scrappy and will crash the glass.
That’s an issue for the Thunder in particular because they rank dead last in offensive rebounding
Yet, since committing to small ball the Rockets have replaced them as the worst on the offensive glass so if there was ever an opponent the Thunder could best on the boards it’s Houston. Particularly while Westbrook is out since Thunder Nation knows all too well how adept the Brodie is on the boards.