Potential Rockets playoff flaws on full display vs Lakers

The Houston Rockets seem to play a lot of back-to-backs.

That makes life difficult. Any player's energy is finite. Fatigue can take over.

Yet, that would be too charitable an explanation for Monday's loss to the Lakers. The Rockets got outplayed in this contest:

Perhaps just as importantly, they got outcoached.

Rockets lose strategic battle vs Lakers

Defensively, the Rockets honed in on Luka Doncic. There's logic in that strategy. Ime Udoka hoped to dare the Lakers' role players to beat them.

Unfortunately, they accepted the challenge.

Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent shot a combined 12/24 from long range. That isn't easy to overcome. In the aggregate, the Lakers' 34.8% three-point shooting was enough to bury a Rockets team that shot just 31.3%.

That brings us to the other issue with this contest. The Rockets' defensive strategy was questionable, but Udoka has earned the benefit of the doubt on that end. Their offensive attack was anemic:

Does that fall on coaching too?

Roster issues continue to haunt Rockets

It's hard to say!

Does this offense look stagnant at times? Absolutely. Does everyone wish Udoka ran more innovative offensive sets? You bet.

Would he run different stuff with a different roster?

Jalen Green had 9 points on 4/13 shooting. Alperen Sengun finished with 14 on 5/11 shooting and 6 assists. Amen Thompson had 20 points on an efficient 8/14 clip, but he's not a go-to guy. The Rockets struggled to generate half-court offense largely because they don't have a consistent half-court creator.

It's been the same story all season long. The Rockets try to overwhelm opponents with physicality. They want to dominate the boards and defend as hard as they can. That's helped them win 49 regular-season games and counting.

Will it help them win a playoff series?

Rockets need a consistent go-to scorer

Never say never. If the Rockets get the right matchup in the first round, they could advance.

If they advance two rounds, it will be nothing short of a small miracle.

All told, this team is going to need a consistent half-court scoring threat to accomplish their loftiest goals. That's not to say they need to make a blockbuster deal this summer. Either Green or Sengun could become that guy. Fans who think trading for an aging Kevin Durant is too drastic may not see their worst fears realized.

Still, Houston should broadly keep an open mind. In 2024-25, neither Green or Sengun is that star player who gives them a chance on any given night. If that guy becomes available, the Rockets have to consider acquiring him.

If nothing else, it'll help on the tail end of back-to-backs.