Ime Udoka's master plan pays huge dividends for Rockets in thrilling win vs Warriors

The Houston Rockets, in their nail-biting victory over the Golden State Warriors, overcame the absence of both their star scorer in Kevin Durant and their most impactful rebounder in Steven Adams to pull to a 12-4 record on the season.

While Reed Sheppard stole the show offensively, the impact of backup center Clint Capela, who grabbed 12 rebounds in his 18 minutes on the court, must not go unnoticed, as it represents the perfect representation of head coach Ime Udoka's intention in balancing his center rotation.

Although the Capela signing was somewhat surprising at the time, the intention behind it has since become clear. Capela is meant to give the Rockets the versatility to play big even when Adams is limited, and Capela's performance against Golden State provides a seriously positive sign that they will be able to do so this season.

Clint Capela can accept a limited role and still step up when Adams is out

With a roster already loaded with sizable players in the frontcourt, the Rockets' sign-and-trade for Capela from the Atlanta Hawks, while a heartwarming story, did not necessarily make much sense from a roster construction standpoint.

In his five seasons in Atlanta, Capela had primarily taken on a starting role. Would he be willing to accept a third-string role in Houston? Could he still perform effectively and accustom himself to the new demands that that role would present?

These questions, however, were answered rather quickly into the season. Not only has Capela found a balance in his reduced minutes, he has become absolutely vital to the way that Udoka wants to employ his rotation.

Adams missed the game against the Warriors dealing with an ankle injury, and Capela, in his absence, helped maintain the team's dominant front on the glass. The Rockets won the offensive rebounding battle 25-13, allowing them to remain in the game and ultimately come away with the victory despite a lackluster offensive night.

Capela had just six points, but the team was +16 in his minutes on the court, and his defensive presence combined with his unmatched size helped Houston exploit the Warriors' greatest weakness (especially given the fact that Al Horford was out).

Capela's minutes will be inconsistent, and the argument could be made that he should step in for Adams on a more routine basis. However, given the results so far, who can argue with Udoka's employment of his big men?