Evan Mobley
The NBA is indeed a miracle place, and the Houston Rockets, who lack major generals, can beat the Atlanta Hawks, which is the second most offensive efficiency in the league this season, on the road, which really surprises me as a Rockets fan. The Rockets trailed by as many as 19 points, and their main players Wood, Tate and starting point guard Brooks were very average, and even so, the Rockets still scored 44 points in the fourth quarter and only let their opponents score 25 points. It's hard to say whether it was the Eagles who suddenly lost power or the rockets that suddenly found their heads, but the momentum of this desperate fight is really shocking. On December 16, Beijing time, the Rockets will continue their road trip, this time they will challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the face of the Cavaliers, whose entire league was trembling, could the Rockets still retreat?
Jarrett Allen
Last season, in the Cavaliers' victory over the Nets, the team's main control Sexton performed very brightly, and once let people see the hope of the Rise of the Cavaliers. But with Jarrett Allen joining the Cavaliers, Sexton's future is a little uncertain. Jarrett Allen doesn't have a three-point attribute, which means he can't help the team open up space on the offensive end, and Sexton's three-point shooting rate is not high, in such a situation, Allen and Sexton will hinder Sexton's breakthrough at the same time. Sexton's form has slipped again this season, and while he's still a starter, he sometimes doesn't have a chance to touch the ball on the offensive end. When Sexton was reimbursed for injury season, the Cavaliers found a No. 1 spot that was more suitable for the team. At the moment, their individual offensive requirements for the No. 1 position are not high, and even whether there are three-pointers or not is not tight, what is important is to be able to defend and organize. As a result, Rubio and Garland became the new leaders in the team's No. 1 spot. Rubio is not young, and he is certainly not in the Cavaliers' future plans, but Rubio has pointed the way for the Cavaliers' No. 1 position.
Sexton
Last season, the Cavaliers also hoarded a lot of interior lines, and their defensive efficiency last season once occupied the first place in the league, but the team's offensive efficiency was the lowest in the league. So, the Offseason left Jarrett Allen a defensive center for $100 million over five years, then introduced Markkanen, who was depressed at the Bulls, and picked up Evan Mobley in the draft. The Cavaliers' Markkanen, Loafer and Mobley on the front line all have three-point ability, so although their lineup has Allen's limited space, the overall three-point shooting level is not bad. The Cavaliers have averaged 34.1 three-pointers and 12.2 hits per game this season, ranking 13th in the league with a 35.7 percent shooting percentage. Even more surprising in terms of ball rotation, the Cavaliers are currently in 9th place in the league with 24.9 assists per game. Therefore, this Cavaliers team has caused headaches for many teams in the league, and everyone is not very accustomed to the Cavaliers' "death front".
Wood
Against the Cavaliers, the Rockets had little advantage. The Rockets' recent strategy has been to be big and four small, and to keep only Wood or Shin Kyung alone as much as possible. Another big step the Rockets have made in their seven-game winning streak has been the rotation of the ball. But most of the Rockets' rotations came from blocking. Faced with the Cavaliers' inside line, Wood may have a hard time playing his own characteristics. In the last game against Capela, Wood scored just 12 points. He has only 34.4 percent shooting from three-point range this season, and the Cavaliers' Markkanen and Mobley can keep up with Wood.
Eric Gordon
In addition, the Rockets lack a breakthrough hand. Eric Gordon was the rocket's engine the Rockets relied on after Kevin Potter Jr. and Jaylen Green were injured. But in the face of the Cavaliers' interior line, Gordon's breakthrough may be difficult to open up. To sum up, the Rockets' current offensive starting point is Eric Gordon, and if Gordon can't use the breakthrough and his own rhythm to open the situation, then this engine can't revitalize the team's offense. In addition, Garrison Matthews has also received extra attention from opponents recently, Matthews scored only 5 points against the Hawks, shooting only 16.7% from the field and shooting 0-of-4 from three-point range.
Tate layup
So, can the Rockets only surrender their weapons? I don't think they're completely without opportunities. Of course, it's unrealistic to hope for another 19-point reversal. The Rockets had to seize on the Cavaliers' weaknesses before they had a chance to win. The Cavaliers' weakness is slowness, as evidenced by their average rebounds per game. The Cavaliers have so many big teams that rebounding is definitely an advantage, but looking at the data shows that whether it is defensive rebounding or offensive rebounding, the Cavaliers are only ranked in the middle of the league. The reason is not that they have a poor interior line, but that they have a slow pace, a small number of game rounds, and naturally fewer rebounds. Therefore, playing knights can not let the opponent play their height advantage in position warfare, but should fight fast.
Shen Jing
How to play fast? This requires the Rockets to improve their defensive intensity. No one on the Rockets' interior has just beaten Allen or Mobley, so their best strategy is to block the Cavaliers' guard's connection to the inside and prevent the opponent from receiving the ball. The Rockets are more flexible, and players like Tate are very active. Therefore, the Rockets need to rely on active scrambling and judgment of the ball path, cutting off the Cavaliers' internal and external ties, so that they have the opportunity to play more defensive counterattacks and improve the rhythm of the game, and once they are fast, the Cavaliers will be in trouble.
Christopher
In addition, when falling into positional warfare, you should break through the opponent's internal line. Breaking through the inside line will face the defense of Cavaliers Allen and Mobley, may encounter blocks, but most importantly create damage. Once they can create damage, the Rockets will have a chance. When Allen and Mobley leave the field because of too many fouls, the Rockets can play to Wood's advantage. Of course, the Rockets must also control their mistakes and improve their free throw shooting percentage, which is already their old problem this season.