Echoing recent comments from backcourt mate Eric Gordon, reserve guard Austin Rivers wants to see the Houston Rockets (40-24) playing with more pace and ball movement upon the NBA’s July restart.
Rivers spoke to Kelly Iko of The Athletic in an exclusive interview. When asked about ways to amplify Houston’s smaller lineup, Rivers said:
I think speed. I think playing with speed. I think if we’re going to play small, we can’t play slow. That goes against everything that we got going on. I think speed and ball movement are the two ways that we can really bother people with this small ball.
In Thursday’s story, Rivers also made the case for more ball movement on offense — as opposed to just having the role players around stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook space the floor.
We’ve got to have ball movement, especially in the playoffs. The floor shrinks, fouls don’t get called as much, the game changes. They’re allowed to be more physical.
Rivers identified himself, Gordon, and Jeff Green as potential playmakers on Houston’s roster outside of Harden and Westbrook. “It’ll make James’ and Russ’ job easier,” Rivers told Iko.
Austin Rivers exclusive on @TheAthleticHOU:
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🔴Small ball hopes and why ball movement is a must
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— Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) June 18, 2020
The analysis by Rivers is very similar to these comments made by Gordon in a recent interview with team broadcaster Craig Ackerman:
As it relates to small ball, we’ve got to continuously, I think really play faster. We’ve got to continuously get more open shots. It should be an easier game for us. As good as we are, as many playmakers as we have, we should be coming down the floor taking the easy shot — a good shot every time, with continuous ball movement. I think that would just make things easier.
To that point, Jan. 31 was when the Rockets began playing full-time without a center. Prior to that date, Houston ranked No. 2 in the NBA in pace at 104.2 possessions per game. Since then, the Rockets slipped slightly to No. 8 in pace at 102.0 possessions per game.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=240017770403398
Rivers told The Athletic that Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni wants to play at a “different speed,” as well, and at times by passing the ball up the court, rather than dribbling. That style could benefit Westbrook, whom Rivers regards as one of the league’s best at playing fast.
Rivers also said the lack of fans at the NBA’s July restart could benefit the smaller Rockets on defense. In the absence of size, switching is at a premium — which requires constant communication.
“It’s going to be quiet in the gym,” Rivers said. “So our voice, we really can make the small ball work defensively. I think we would have made it work with the crowd anyway, but the fact that it’s going to be quiet in this gym that really matters on defense, just with communication and talking.”
The Rockets (40-24) will enter the July restart tied for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference. With eight regular-season games remaining, they can finish anywhere from No. 2 to No. 7 for playoff seeding purposes.
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