Even if the Bucks didn't get in too good shape at the beginning of the game against the Rockets on December 23, Beijing time, after the Bucks found the offensive touch, the Rockets' defensive end was almost completely collapsed, and they could not limit any of the Bucks' offense and eventually lost the game 106-126.
"The two best players in their squad are leading them forward," Rockets coach Stephen Silas said of Juju Holliday and Chris Middleton, "Sometimes we try to turn things around, but Holliday and Middleton are still ahead of the curve and we're very embarrassed on one-on-one defense. ”
"When we make up the defense, they get three-point opportunities, and that's the snowball effect."
Rockets center Christian Wood has averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes, the fifth time in his last six games that he has averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. But in this game, Wood lost all six three-point shots, and even if the Rockets players could complete the score on the inside, the embarrassing performance on the outside made them lose the game.
At the end of the game, the Rockets only made 13 of 45 shots from outside the three-point line, which also allowed the Bucks to feel at ease to shrink their defense in the paint.
"That's what they do," Silas said, "and their game plan is to block the paint and make you have to shoot outside the three-point line." ”
Even if Alphabet Brother can't play because of triggering health and safety agreements, the Bucks are still a better team than the Rockets, of which Holliday and Middleton can combine to score 47 points, even cousins who have just joined can cut 18 points efficiently, and Rockets rising stars Alperen Sengin and Wood can not limit Cousins' performance on the inside.
In 15 games after 15 consecutive losses, the Rockets can only rank second-to-last in the league in terms of defensive limits and defensive efficiency, but the Rockets can still win 9 of them with explosive performances on the offensive end, but in the case of tough interior defense against the Bucks, the Rockets' outside shooting and rhythm are almost limited.
Because of this, the inability to play a solid defensive end is the problem with the Rockets' games so far this season.