Austin Rivers laments Houston’s lack of size to Anthony Davis

During their final three losses to Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets were outrebounded by an average of nearly 20 per game.

For the undersized and center-less Houston Rockets, rebounding became a problem of increased significance during their series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2020 NBA playoffs.

In a Game 1 victory, the Rockets drew even with Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and the larger Lakers on the glass, 41-41. Even in a close Game 2 loss, they kept the rebounding margin competitive at 41-35.

But in the next three games — all losses — the rebounding totals (43-30, 52-26, and 50-31) quickly got out of hand, all in favor of the Lakers. That made for an average rebounding differential of almost -20 per game, and the margin of victory by the Lakers ballooned with each outing.

While the loss of 6-foot-6 forward Danuel House Jr. for an NBA rules violation didn’t help, the Rockets knew going into the series that they’d be at a size disadvantage. Ultimately, they couldn’t overcome it.

On Sunday afternoon, Davis decided to stop by the Instagram page of Rockets guard Austin Rivers. After saying hello and exchanging a few jokes, Rivers talked about the Xs and Os of their playoff matchup:

Going to the basket, I got you and JaVale [McGee] down there. We were switching everything, too. I’m switching on AD, Bron, JaVale… and I’m hacking the [expletive] out of these dudes. I was like, ‘What are we doing? I should not be down here in this paint.’ I’m 6-4, 215 [pounds], and these dudes are 6-10, 6-11, 7-feet… 260, 270.

Elsewhere in the Instagram Live session, Rivers said he believed Davis is on his way to winning the NBA Finals MVP award. In the first two victories by the Lakers over the Miami Heat, Davis has averaged 33.0 points (63.4% shooting, 60.0% on 3-pointers) and 11.5 rebounds per game.

“AD is on his way to getting that Finals MVP,” Rivers said to his barber and Instagram Live viewers. “It’s incredible. 27 years old, bro.”

Rivers and Davis were teammates in New Orleans for the initial three years of their careers, with each taken early in the 2012 NBA Draft.

As for the Rockets, it remains to be seen if Houston’s next head coach will choose to play as consistently small as outgoing coach Mike D’Antoni did. However, with most rotation players already under contract and the Rockets well above the league’s salary cap, it’s not clear how much they can change the roster — even if GM Daryl Morey wants to do so.

Now 27 years old, Rivers has a player option on his contract for the 2020-21 season. If he declines it, he can enter free agency this offseason.

Rivers averaged 8.8 points (35.6% on 3-pointers) and 2.6 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game during the 2019-20 season, his second in Houston. He was also one of the team’s most valuable guard defenders.

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