Rockets playing Steven Adams next to Alperen Sengun masks giant issue

The Houston Rockets have a rich history when it comes to big men. They've long rostered star centers. It all started with the Twin Towers.

Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson didn't have as much success as they'd have liked, but they left an imprint on Rockets history. Olajuwon won a pair of titles after Sampson's departure, but Rockets fans invested plenty of hope in the idea that the Rockets could win those titles with a pair of dominant big men.

Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams are not Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Sengun is a budding star, but he's got work to do to reach those heights. Adams is on the back end of his career. He's a fantastic role player, but nobody is mistaking him for Sampson - let alone The Dream. Still, the Rockets have had some success playing the duo together this year:

Unfortunately, it's making a more systemic issue with the team.

Rockets dominate glass - at a cost

The Rockets lead the NBA in Offensive Rebounding % at 36.5%. It would be a mistake to attribute that to a player who plays 13.5 minutes per game (Adams) to too large of an extent. Still, Adams' personal Offensive Rebounding % of 22.5% is on pace to be the highest in NBA history. When he's on the floor with Sengun, the Rockets dominate the glass.

That's great. Dominant offensive rebounding is part of a viable recipe for success. It can't supplement bad offense:

And the Rockets' offense is mediocre at best.

Rockets struggle to generate easy shots

Granted, Houston's Offensive Rating of 114.3 is 12th in the NBA. They're knocking on the top 10. That's not bad.

It also bakes the offensive rebounding into the equation. If the Rockets were a middle-of-the-road team on the offensive glass, their Rating would suffer. This team's attack can appear pedestrian. The Rockets lack ball movement, and they don't have an offensive superstar who can carry the team regardless of defensive coverage.

That's fine in the regular season. Mitigating a subpar halfcourt offense with rebounding won't fly in the postseason. If the Rockets expect to lean on Adams and Sengun for long stretches, it could be a short postseason appearance for them in 2024-25.

Ultimately? That's fine too. This year was always about making a playoff run, and collecting data in the process. The Rockets are learning that Sengun can succeed in bursts at the 4, and they may end up learning that those bursts have to be limited. They may also learn that they need a true superstar in order to build an offense that doesn't rely so heavily on rebounds:

Whether that superstar is a big man or not.