For the 2020-21 season as a whole, the Houston Rockets still have one of the top five defenses in the entire NBA. But the recent absence of star big man Christian Wood (right ankle sprain) has clearly taken a toll.
After Tuesday’s blowout loss against the Pelicans, the Rockets (11-13) are now 0-3 since Wood’s latest injury. Making matters worse, their normally stout defense allowed an average of 124.5 points per game in back-to-back losses in Charlotte and New Orleans the last two nights.
Led by Zion Williamson (20 points, 7 assists), the Pelicans shot 24-of-33 in the paint (72.7%), with their 60 paint points the most allowed by the Rockets all season. In postgame comments, veterans PJ Tucker and John Wall made it clear that they don’t approve of the recent effort.
“When we were on that six, seven-game winning streak, we drank some of that water that we shouldn’t have,” Wall said after Tuesday’s loss. “Our defense has been [expletive] the last couple games.”
“Communication has been bad,” said Tucker, long viewed as a defensive ace. “We haven’t been aggressive like we were in games before.”
John Wall: “When we were on that six, seven-game winning streak, we drank some of that water that we shouldn’t have. Our defense has been shitty the last couple games.”
— Kelly Iko (@KellyIkoNBA) February 10, 2021
PJ Tucker said point blank the defense has been "sh***y" the past few games. He said the communication on the floor has been "horrible".
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 10, 2021
Wall led the Rockets on Tuesday with 25 points and 6 assists, but he shot just 1-of-6 from the free-throw line. “I’ve got to stop being terrible at the free throw line,” he said. “One for six is beyond terrible.”
Houston will have its first chance to make amends when they host Miami on Thursday night at Toyota Center. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Central, with the game broadcast on national television via TNT.
[lawrence-related id=44398,44655]
In the Rockets three games without Christian Wood:
102 offensive rating
120.9 defensive rating
-18.9 net rating
Losses to the Spurs, Hornets and Pelicans.
— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) February 10, 2021
https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=DO37wefzIy-1147580-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on
[listicle id=44863]