NBA Finals showing key area where Rockets must improve

The Houston Rockets have a lot going for them.

They boast one of the most impressive collections of young talent in the NBA. Ime Udoka is one of the most respected coaches in the NBA. The team has a surplus of future draft capital. The Rockets have a lot going for them:

But they are sorely lacking in one area.

Spacing. It's a word that gets used a lot in NBA circles. Spacing the floor with shooters makes life easier for your primary on-ball creators. It's something the Rockets don't do very well:

In the 2024-25 NBA Finals, we're seeing how major an obstacle that could be.

Rockets can learn from NBA Finalists

Spacing is the name of the game for the Pacers. Non-shooters don't crack the rotation. Tyrese Haliburton is an elite offensive engine surrounded by players who can knock down threes, and at times, that makes for an unstoppable offense.

The Thunder don't insist on five-out spacing. Isaiah Hartenstein is a non-shooter, and he's a prominent fixture in their rotation. That said, most of their guys can shoot, and when they need to space the floor completely, they slide Chet Holmgren to the 5.

The NBA is a copycat league. That doesn't mean the Rockets need to copy either Finalist. We see different iterations of basketball win the championship at different times. Still, it's worth noting that the Celtics won the championship with a similar approach last season.

How can the Rockets learn from these 3 successful squads?

Rockets must improve spacing

This is not an Alperen Sengun - or Amen Thompson - hit piece.

Granted, neither can shoot the three with any reliability. It would be optimal if that changed. Thompson may be a lost cause, but there's hope that Sengun can develop a three-ball. His career 70.1% free-throw shooting suggests some shooting potential. Sengun even knocked down 33.3% of his 0.8 threes per game as a sophomore, but he's regressed since.

If he could reach that percentage on something closer to 2 attempts per game, it could revolutionize this offense. If he can't, the Rockets can still move forward with Sengun as a cornerstone. They don't need to to move Thompson either:

They may need to change the roster around them.

Firstly, they'll need a stretch big man to pair with Sengun. Perhaps that's Jabari Smith Jr. If the Rockets see him as part of their future, having him man the 5 when (if?) Sengun's limited shooting is hindering them could be a vital long-term strategy.

That would also allow Houston to run lineups where Thompson was the only non-shooter. Yet, having a lethal shooter backing him up would be beneficial as well. That would help the Rockets run lineups where Sengun was surrounded by shooters.

Jalen Green is the elephant in the room. He's supposed to be a shooter, but he's never been efficient from long range. Given his lack of auxiliary skills, replacing him has felt like a viable solution to many Rockets fans. Whatever the organization decides, they need to improve their floor spacing:

With everything else they have going for them, that should be enough.