The Rockets lost a close one Friday, and have a clear need going into the postseason.
This Rockets team has been up ad down, and went down this Friday against the Timberwolves, losing 136-132. They stayed with them through the bulk of the game, but started to slip in the 4th.
With 5:37 in the third quarter, the Rockets had an 88% win probability. From there it went downhill, and just 11 minutes later the Timberwolves held a 92% chance to win. The main flaw they faced, has been the same for 2 seasons. It’s the 3.
The Rockets couldn’t hit a 3 to save their life last postseason, and tried to fix it by adding an all time great scorer, Kevin Durant. However, the doctors medicine hasn't been taken yet. The rockets made only 4 three pointers all game, with Durant only shooting one.
Compared to the Timberwolves 15/30, 4/19 is horrible. This shooting will surely plague them later in the postseason.
A full breakdown of the Rocket’s postseason chances will come soon, but the 4 seeded Lakers will give them fits if Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves returns in time.
So, what should the Rockets do? Trust their all time caliber scorer and young point guard. Let Durant shoot whenever he wants, and trust Reed Sheppard. He still isn’t the primary starter. His defense remains an issue, but the identity of this team has been lost ever since the offseason trade for the Slim Reaper.