Rockets weakness could lead to more success with 2 big lineup

As we head into the final two weeks of the regular season, the Houston Rockets still find themselves near the top of the Western Conference standings. They are putting the finishing touches on a simply masterful regular season the likes of which only the biggest fans saw coming.

With eight games remaining, the Rockets will almost assuredly hit the 50 wins mark for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Ime Udoka has done a fantastic job of getting this group to gel, and at getting the most out of his roster. Now, as this core heads to the postseason for the first time together, there are a few big factors to consider.

There are obviously already plenty of skeptics of Houston when it comes to their chances in the playoffs. And while many are underestimating this team, there are still some legitimate areas of concern that could hurt them when the games matter most. Not the least of which being the Rockets' three-point shooting.

For the season, Houston ranks 24th in the NBA in three-point percentage as a team. The Rockets are making just 34.7% of their threes during 2024-25. At some point or another, that number is going to hinder their ceiling if they do not find a counter.

Houston can offset its three-point shooting woes with rebounding

One simple-but-effective way Houston could seek to offset their poor shooting from outside? By doubling down on their already strong rebounding efforts. The Rockets are grabbing by far the most offensive rebounds per game of any team in the association as of March 29, at 14.8 per night. When you add those extra possessions up game after game, that is a lot of additional chances for the offense to put points on the board.

When the playoffs hit, giving Alperen Sengun some help in the rebounding department could truly pay off in a big way. If Udoka can play lineups where Sengun and Steven Adams can both be on the floor at the same time, I would say to have at it. The interior presence of both guys in the paint at the same time would allow the Rockets to dominate the glass and have a great chance of winning the possession battle on any given night.

Obviously, the biggest hindrance to this strategy would have to do with the spacing. Houston's already lacking three-point attack would not get any better with Adams and Sengun out there. But when you are in a chess match in the NBA playoffs, sometimes a bold move like this one can end up moving the needle.