What If It Was Driving?
Yes, we’re past epiphany. Yes, I’m bad at gimmicks that require consistency. You’re entitled to your money back.
So, we’ve all ranted about the Rockets offense, especially the shooting woes. God knows I have. We’ve lamented the coaching or lack of coaching or coaching by committee for shooting that is holding back the Rockets offense.
What if it wasn’t really shooting? What if it was lack of credible basket attackers to open up the drive and kick game, along with the lack of shooting? That not having really much of both, or really, just having both in the form of one person who is, at best, unreliable at both, was the problem?
Here’s what I mean.
The Rockets best basket attacker is: Jalen Green.
The Rockets best player at getting his own shot is: Jalen Green.
The only other players who actually frighten opponents as basket attackers among the starters are: nobody.
Alperen Sengun is good at making baskets close in, but there are two problems there. One is, he has to either start on his own, somewhere usually near the 3pt line, off a dribble hand off, in which case defenses can send help. Or he has to get service at the post, which Fred VanVleet is only ok at doing, and is totally incapable of throwing it over defenders in most cases. Now defenses have collapses on him and are gambling on passing out to shooters they’re mostly not afraid of, or drives they’re mostly not afraid of.
No one is really scared of Fred VanVleet driving, as he has to do something acrobatic to finish at the rim, or stop and pop. Some nights it works, but most defenses will take their chances.
No one is scared of Dillon Brooks driving, though Dillon’s Dribblin’ Adventures have worked out better for Kanadian Kobe than you might have expected at the start of the season. Still, it’s nothing opposing coaches stay up watching video and worrying about.
Jabari Smith drives? Opponents welcome those. They only thing they like more is the awkward crow hop he does (less!) off a clean catch for a three into a long two.
Lately though, we’ve seen a more effective looking offense. Why?
I submit it’s the addition of a extreme drive and dunker spot threat in Amen Thompson in place of Jabari. (This is not to denigrate Jabari, it’s simply a change in threat on offense, from basically one drive and shoot threat in the form of one person, to two drive threats.)
I’d suggest that Amen doesn’t yet know just how terrifying he is as a drive threat, just how easily he can get by a defense that isn’t completely set. But defenses know. They can’t double Jalen Green with Amen around. They can’t collapse on Sengun in the paint with Amen lurking in the dunkers spot, or making a rim run. He doesn’t even need a reliable jumper to take defenses to DefCon One, from probably Three, when facing the Rockets.
Part of Jalen Green’s run of good form, to me, is more minutes with either Amen, or Cam, or both in the lineup. Cam may be something of a blockhead, but he can score from any level, with ease. The only thing that stops Cam is his own decision making. The only thing that stops Amen is lack of a long range attack. And that doesn’t stop him much.
Once defenses can’t Do the Double – which is trap Jalen, and/or shut down the paint by trapping/doubling Sengun, they have no great plan.
Look at the last game with Memphis. When Amen isn’t in foul trouble, Jalen and Alpie as simply slicing Memphis apart like some Rendevous ribs. When he’s out, the offense bogs down. When he returns late in the 4th, the Rockets seal the deal.
I think it’s really that simple. Fred, Dillon, and Jabari just aren’t threatening enough to defenses to stop them from throwing everything at Jalen and Alpie and rolling the dice with the other three. Amen Thompson changes that. He can dunk on them all day, if they let him. They can’t let him, and that change, alone, is enough, I think, to unleash Jalen and Alpie.
Maybe one day those two won’t need that, but right now, they do.