Rockets leaned into their secret weapon and it (nearly) saved their season

The Houston Rockets' season feels like it's nearly done.

They're officially down 3-1 against the Warriors. This has been a competitive series, but the Rockets have consistently come out on the losing end. By now, it's hard to feel optimistic about their chances.

It's not all gloom and doom. The Rockets have gleaned valuable data from this series. They've seen who's rising to the occasion and who's faltering. They also have a clearer idea of what works with this team and what doesn't.

For example, it's become increasingly clear that the team's double big man lineups work.

Rockets lean into successful formula vs Warriors

In Game 4, the Rockets played Steven Adams for 26 minutes. Plenty of his time came alongside Alperen Sengun. Jabari Smith Jr. was at the 3 during a lot of those stretches as well.

It worked exactly as it was supposed to. The Rockets dominated the glass. They outmuscled the Warriors at every turn. It wasn't enough to stave off a 109-106 Warriors win, but it came close.

Ultimately, the Warriors opted to "hack-an-Adams" and play the Rockets' big man off the floor by intentionally fouling him. It was a smart move by Steve Kerr. Some Rockets fans will suggest that Ime Udoka should have kept Adams on the floor and let him shoot free throws. That's something he could have entertained, but wanting to keep the career 53.3% free-throw shooter off the free-throw line was logical as well.

In any case, the lineup was once again successful. The Rockets know that their jumbo-sized lineups can win in high-leverage situations.

What should be done with that information?

Rockets need to consider future

Firstly, they need to re-sign Adams this summer.

He's going to hit free agency. The Rockets should prioritize him. Adams remains one of the best backup bigs in the league. The revelation that he can thrive alongside Sengun makes him a key reserve for this club.

In the bigger picture, it's hard to say what to do with this information. Adams is the strongest player in the NBA, so he's an outlier. That means he's not replicable. The Rockets can't simply draft any 5 and expect to succeed with him as they have with Adams.

Still, it could be that targeting the strongest big man they can find to back Sengun up should be part of their long-term calculus. Playing two traditional big men side by side nearly saved the Rockets' season:

Even if by now, it's practically over.