The Houston Rockets have proven themselves as a strong defensive team nearly one month into the season. They are currently ranked third in defensive rating, allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions, following their 130-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
The Rockets plan to tighten their defense even more when they continue their three-game homestand on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers, both teams being 1-0 in Western Conference Group A of the NBA Cup.
A key factor in the Rockets’ defense is their ability to force turnovers, which, combined with their offensive rebounds, helps compensate for their less efficient offense. They also score a lot in transition, and much of this was on display against the Pacers. The Rockets turned 23 of the Pacers’ turnovers into 30 points and recorded 23 fastbreak points.
Houston ranks fourth in the league in points off turnovers (20.6 per game) and second in fastbreak points (18.1 per game), just behind the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets.
Houston is also strong on second-chance points, ranking second in the league with 18.1 per game. In their win over the Pacers, they scored 16 second-chance points off 13 offensive rebounds and had a +19 advantage in field goal attempts. The Rockets’ success comes from their aggressive play on offensive boards and forcing turnovers from their opponents.
“We focus on offensive rebounds and turnovers,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “We got 16 steals from their 23 turnovers, which allowed us to get out in transition and score 23 fastbreak points.”
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with a season-high 31 points and 12 rebounds in the win. He is averaging 18.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, leading the team in rebounding.
The Trail Blazers recently ended a three-game winning streak with a 109-99 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Portland was missing two of its top scorers, Anfernee Simons (chest) and Deandre Ayton (finger), requiring other players to step up.
Second-year forward Toumani Camara scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds. His performance, with 11 shot attempts, was one of his best of the season.
Though Camara is only averaging 9.1 points per game, he has shown he can take on a bigger role when needed.
“Tou knows who he is,” said Portland coach Chauncey Billups. “He’s not going to take unnecessary shots. He’s capable of having nights like this.”
