Rockets Face Uphill Battle After Lackluster Game 1 Performance
The Houston Rockets’ first-round series against the Golden State Warriors got off to a rocky start on Sunday, as the team struggled to find their rhythm on offence, scoring a mere 85 points in Game 1. According to Michael Wright of ESPN, this has to change dramatically if the higher-seeded Rockets hope to win the series. As Hoops Rumors reports, the Rockets’ coach, Ime Udoka, remained optimistic after the loss, but acknowledged that his team’s offence needs to improve.
“We’re not going to overreact to one game,” Udoka said, as quoted by Hoops Rumors. “But if guys do play better, we have a chance there. Ten-point loss and like I said, holding somebody to 95; it was an offensively poor showing. The defence was good enough. But I’m not going to overreact to that game. It’s some of those guys’ first times and we had our chances.” The Rockets will look to bounce back in Game 2, which is set to take place on Wednesday.
The team’s poor offence in Game 1 cannot be easily dismissed, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. As Hoops Rumors notes, the Warriors are led by experienced stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, who have a proven track record of creating offence in the playoffs. In contrast, the Rockets lack a player with that kind of ability. One player who struggled in particular was Jalen Green, who averaged 21 points per game during the regular season but shot just 3-for-15 from the field and scored seven points in the series opener.
Udoka attributed Green’s struggles to his tendency to play in the crowd and fail to find his outlet. “They went after him some, but he played in the crowd a little bit too much,” Udoka said, per Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “It’s not really the turnovers as much as the shots in the crowd where you have to find your outlet… When he has isolations, you’ve got to find your outlet. That’s going to be a big key in this series.” As Hoops Rumors reports, Green’s performance was a major concern for the Rockets, and the team will look to him to bounce back in Game 2.
In an effort to spark his team’s offence, Udoka may expand his eight-man rotation in Game 2 to include Aaron Holiday, an above-average three-point threat. According to Hoops Rumors, Udoka told Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle that Holiday’s unit in the third quarter was running well, and that he may consider giving him more playing time in Game 2. “Yeah, we were considering it last game,” Udoka said. “That unit in the third quarter was running well and so we went with them, stuck with them, but Aaron’s played well against them. Obviously, not just the shooting, his physicality and aggressiveness on defence helps as well.”
As the Rockets look to bounce back in Game 2, they will need to address their offence and find a way to counter the Warriors’ experienced stars. According to Hoops Rumors, the team’s coach, Ime Udoka, remains optimistic about his team’s chances, but acknowledges that they have a tough road ahead of them. With the series tied at 0-1, the Rockets will need to come out strong in Game 2 if they hope to take control of the series.
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