When everything clicks for the Houston Rockets, as it did in the fourth quarter on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks, they look every bit like the most efficient offense in the NBA.
The Rockets shot a robust 71.4% in the final period of their 122-115 comeback victory over Milwaukee, a win that saw Houston erase a 14-point deficit and set a positive tone ahead of a stretch of three consecutive home games, starting against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
When it mattered most, the Bucks couldn’t stop the Rockets, who rank first in the league in offensive rating (121.7 points per 100 possessions), 3-point percentage (42.8), and offensive rebound rate (41.4%).
What continues to undermine the Rockets’ offensive proficiency is their propensity to commit turnovers. Houston conceded 30 points off 18 turnovers against the Bucks, with the 14-point, first-half deficit directly linked to 12 turnovers that yielded 21 points before the intermission.
After the Rockets finally got a handle on their ball security in the second half, their offense was unleashed. Kevin Durant (31 points, seven assists), Alperen Sengun (23 points, 11 rebounds), Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard (16 points apiece) were too much for Milwaukee to handle.
At this stage of the early season, the Rockets’ wounds appear to be self-inflicted. There was an expectation that Houston would struggle without Fred VanVleet, who was lost to a preseason knee injury. What appears obvious is that when the Rockets prioritize ball security, they are exceedingly difficult to contain.
“It’s a new team,” Sengun said. “We lost our PG (point guard), and everybody is trying to get that responsibility now. Amen (Thompson) is trying to do some stuff, KD is doing some stuff. We’re just going to get better on that. We’re going to get better and better every day and we’re going to learn more.
“If we want to win, we need to take care of the ball.”
The Wizards dropped their ninth consecutive game with a 137-135 overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Washington shot 52.6% overall, made 15 3-pointers and led by as many as 13 points before falling to a league-worst 1-10.
But en route to just their third loss by single digits, the Wizards finished minus-17 on the boards and conceded 27 points off 20 turnovers. For a young roster attempting to develop winning habits, faltering down the stretch and fumbling away a win represented a tough pill to swallow. Mustering the moxie to push forward is part of the maturation process.
“You get up tomorrow and you go to work,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. “You look at the film, go to practice, all the things that we think matter. All this consistency of how you prepare and how you train. We look at the film, we do as a group, we challenge each other to improve.
“I think that’s how you face anything. That’s how we’ve always done that here, and I’m really proud of the group that we do that. We’re going to continue to do that. Looking forward to practice already.”