Today: Rockets’ Ryan Anderson has team-highs across the board

On this day in 2017, Ryan Anderson led the Houston Rockets in points, minutes, rebounds, and 3-pointers, en route to posting a rare true shooting percentage of 100 percent.

When the Houston Rockets signed Ryan Anderson in the 2016 offseason, the overwhelming reaction in the basketball world was that he was simply overpaid. And rightfully so, as Ryno inked a four-year deal worth $80 million, which was certainly more than he was capable of living up to.

But it’s not Anderson’s fault that the salary cap spiked that offseason, which is how he got the deal in the first place, and also what enabled Kevin Durant to join the superteam Golden State Warriors. The Rockets were coming off a season to forget in 2015-16, as they went 41-41 after firing then head coach Kevin McHale after just 11 games.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey eyed a restart, as Dwight Howard exercised his player option and signed with the Atlanta Hawks, while interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff wasn’t offered the Rockets’ head coaching job. The Houston Rockets hired Mike D’Antoni and signed Eric Gordon, along with Anderson, which led to 55 wins in the 2016-17 season. This was a win total that the Rockets had reached just once in the previous eight seasons, and it culminated in the third seed in the Western Conference.

D’Antoni won the Coach of the Year award and Gordon won the Sixth Man of the Year award, while Anderson shot a team-best 40.3 percent from long-range. Anderson finished with 204 triples that season, which was ninth-best in the league. Anderson’s triples made and 3-point percentage that season are still both second-best in his career.

The Rockets drew a first-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder and beat OKC within six games, leading to a second-round matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. Although most people remember the series for the colossal let-down the Rockets had in Game 6, many don’t realize how well Anderson played.

Ryno finished with the fourth-most 3-pointers of all players in the entire series, while also shooting 38.9 percent. But Anderson’s best day came on May 3rd, which happened to be Game 2.

On that day, Anderson played 35 minutes, which was not only a team-high, but second among all players, behind only Kawhi Leonard. Ryno also had 18 points, which also led the Rockets, and was also second overall behind Leonard as well. But there was a more impressive manner in his scoring that day.

Anderson posted a rare true shooting percentage of 100 percent, as he went 7-of-9 from the floor (77.8 percent) and 4-of-5 from deep (80 percent). Anderson’s four 3-pointers were also a game-high, and his eight rebounds led the Rockets also.

When you add that all up, Ryno led the Rockets in minutes, points, 3-pointers, 3-point percentage, rebounds, and true shooting percentage. Although the Rockets lost the game, Anderson gave his best efforts, in a performance that never gets discussed.