The Houston Rockets entered Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals as a slight favorite over the Golden State Warriors (for the game, not the series) with the expectation that the West’s top seed would at minimum hang around with the Warriors.
For much of the game, that was true. James Harden’s 41-point outburst kept Houston close, but ultimately the constant offensive onslaught from Golden State overwhelmed the Rockets, leading to a 119-106 final. While the score would seem to indicate the Rockets need to look at their defense ahead of Game 2 (and in some ways, they do, especially in staying tight on Klay Thompson on the perimeter), the focus of many in the Houston locker room was on the offense.
The Rockets led the league in isolation possessions during the regular season, relying on Harden and Chris Paul’s abilities as elite one-on-one players to attack defenses and score if left on an island or kick out to an open shooter if the double arrives. In Game 1, the Warriors seemed content to let Harden cook, but forced a fairly inefficient night from Chris Paul (8-of-17 shooting that was 5-of-14 before garbage time) and stayed out on Houston’s sharpshooters and at home on Clint Capela in the paint to not let any of them get hot.
After the game, the apparent consensus from Houston’s “others” was that they could use some adjustments on the offensive end and look to do just a bit more with ball and player movement, rather than standing around watching Chris Paul and James Harden play iso-ball. Capela told Sam Amick of USA Today he wanted to see more weak side action off the ball to get guys open since the Warriors were staying at home on shooters.
“We’re just out here waiting on (Harden and Chris Paul) to make the decisions,” Capela said. “This is what they do. This is what they’ve been doing all season long, so it’s something that is harder to do right now. Maybe we’re going to have to be more aware on the weak side, maybe (use) flares to get guys open, to get more movement, so all the focus won’t be on the guys on the weak side.”
Eric Gordon had a bit stronger take when it came to wanting a changed game plan, asking specifically to get the ball more so he can try and create and wanting less isolation against a team as good as Golden State on the defensive end in a conversation with The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears.
“I definitely would like to get the ball more for me to be aggressive and get good looks,” said Gordon, who took 13 shots. “Offensively with everybody, we really don’t get real good looks. … We can’t isolate as much against a good defensive team. I don’t care who you are. We have some of the best isolation players out there. But against a team like that, it’s going to be too tough.”
Gordon may not be wrong, but it would be a pretty dramatic change from what’s worked all season for the Rockets. There certainly are some adjustments they can and probably should make to attack the Warriors’ defense, but this has been the plan all along and I’d be surprised if Mike D’Antoni throws that out the window this early in the series.
Houston will lean on Paul and Harden again in Game 2, hoping for a better night from Paul and that they can create a bit more for the rest. Golden State will keep switching and pestering them with length and making those two beat them without giving the rest wide open opportunities.
