The Rockets are back in the playoffs!
They are set to face off against the LeBron James Lakers in the first round, with LA having Home Advantage. Important note that it is LeBron’s Lakers, because he really has no other teammates.
Superstar Luke Doncic and Star Austin Reaves have both gone down with injuries, and aren’t slated to return until the second round. This means its all up LeBron, once again, to carry his team past the Rockets.
The Rockets, however, are no slouches. Coming off of back to back 50 win seasons, the Kevin Durant led Rockets look ready to dominate. Last season they lost a tough and physical 7 game series to the Warriors, and made big moves in the offseason. They traded the face of the team Jalen Green and tone-setter Dillon Brooks in return for future hall of famer Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns.
Now, Durant, who averages 26-5-4, must bring this team through LA.
The crucial part of this upcoming series is the guys around Durant. All-Star Alperen Sengun, who averages 20-7-5, must carry his part of the load. He has had downright horrible offensive stretches this season, and is lackluster on defense. He must improve on his efficiency, and hold his own against Deandre Ayton.
On the other side, Slasher Amen Thompson, who had 41 points against Minnesota Friday, needs to bring his offense, and especially his defense. His athleticism is T-Best in the NBA currently, tied with his brother in the east. If he can play a part in slowing down LeBron, winning the series in 4-6 games becomes much easier. He must bring his A-game on defense, and have better shot selection come playoffs.
Point Guard Reed Sheppard has also been cause for lots of debate this season, and it is clear to see why. He can play offense with the best of them, and when he is in the lineup with the starters, the buckets come much easier. The reason why he isn't the defacto starter so far is due to his defense. He is what angry fans call an absolute liability on defense, and what I call a big target for opposing guards. If he can step it up defensively, the Rockets halfcourt offense may get out of its 6 year slump it's been in.
Some more notes for other Rockets: Jabari Smith and Clint Capela. Smith, the teams resident 3-point specialist, must be accurate this series, against some less than capable wing defenders. Capela, the former All Star,must fill in Steven Adams' shoes, and be the physically dominant big man Adams was.
I'd also like to commend the Rockets ability to weather the storm that was the Kevin Durant burner situation at the All-Star Break. Despite constant outside noise, the Rockets never lost sight, and have carried themselves back to the playoffs.
Finally, the two biggest losses of this season have been Steven Adams and Fred Van Vleet. I have already written an article on the loss of Adams, and what that means for the playoffs, but it shouldn’t hinder them that much this round. The Lakers are bringing a B-Team, and dont have any dominant bigs to worry about. While the following rounds, presumably against OKC or the Spurs, will be a problem, they shouldn’t encounter much difficulty in winning on the rebound front this series.
On the Van Vleet side, that is where Sheppard much step up and into FVV's shoes, where he hasn't yet this season.
One note about these Lakers: there's not just one LeBron James to worry about. Bronny has always had high potential, the question is if he can survive as the third option in the playoffs. An issues could easily arise if Reed Sheppard, who struggles defensively, starts to get beat by Bronny consistently, and not just whenever Big Bron takes 4 defenders with him.
So, what does Doctor Shebay prescribe? Durant to keep his game the same, Sengun to step it up on defense and be more efficient on offense, and finally for Thompson to slow down LeBron as well as take smart shots.
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