Rockets could have a major Cam Thomas problem against the Brooklyn Nets

As the Houston Rockets have begun the season 0-2, with losses to both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons, one of their surprising weaknesses has been their inability to contain opposing guards on the defensive end of the court, with the size of their starting lineup preventing them from quickly blocking off lanes to the basket.

Now, as they face the Brooklyn Nets and attempt to earn their first win of the season, they will need to get into their full defensive form against dynamic point guard Cam Thomas, who is coming off a stellar 40-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs.

While Thomas does have his limitations to his game, one thing he can certainly do is score the basketball, and Houston will need to limit him in order to stifle the Nets' blooming offense.

The Rockets could struggle to contain the surging Cam Thomas

Last season, Houston leaned fully into its defensive identity, assembling one of the most staunch defenses in the league and riding its shoulders to the second seed in the Western Conference.

Yet, this identity was defined by its versatility. With a defensively capable point guard in Fred VanVleet on the court, the Rockets were able to go both big and small when the matchup suited it, leaning either into a dynamic point-of-attack defense or a larger, zone defense defined by their double-big lineup.

However, with VanVleet out, the team has started this double-big lineup in both games, and, as a result, they have consistently struggled to both contain opposing guards and limit opposing teams' attempts from the perimeter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite a slow start to the season opener, ultimately had 35 points, taking the game over in overtime and putting the Rockets away in heartbreaking fashion. Cade Cunningham, meanwhile, had 25 points in the midst of an overall poor shooting night for the Pistons, but Houston, nonetheless, struggled to keep him from utilizing his size and speed to get downhill.

Both of these guards present both more size and skill than Thomas, but Thomas, undoubtedly, can score the ball in many of the same ways.

Moreover, second-year guard Reed Sheppard has been a target for opposing offenses whenever he has been on the court. If Brooklyn can get Thomas matched up against Sheppard, his lack of lateral quickness could be a rapid recipe for disaster.

The Nets will easily be the worst team that the Rockets have played so far this year. However, no game is a given in the NBA, and they will need to bottle Thomas up defensively if they want to come away with their first victory of the season.