For the 2019-20 season date, the Rockets are NBA’s No. 2 team in net rating on offense, but No. 16 on defense. So for Houston to achieve its championship ambitions upon the league’s looming restart in Florida, it’s clear which side of the court has the most room for improvement.
As they pursue that defensive growth, one of Houston’s most valuable players is likely to be lanky 6-foot-7 forward Robert Covington. Known best for his defense, the Rockets traded for Covington in February while shifting to a smaller, more versatile lineup without a traditional center.
Speaking before Sunday’s practice at the NBA’s “bubble” complex in Florida, the 29-year-old explained why he’s optimistic based on what he’s seen from his teammates in training camp. Covington’s comments:
We’re getting better every day. We’ve been doing a really good job of communicating on the court. We’re paying attention to the little things. Some guys are getting better because we’re holding each other more accountable.
Robert Covington on the benefit of training camp for him, as a midseason newcomer to the #Rockets:
"Just getting more accustomed within the offense. I didn't know too much, I was just out there playing and being guided. It's helping me be more fluid with everything." #OneMission
— Ben DuBose (@BenDuBose) July 19, 2020
For the undersized Rockets, the advantage to their lack of size on defense (relative to most NBA teams) is that they’re more versatile.
With superstar guard James Harden being one of the league’s best post defenders and frontcourt starters like Covington, P.J. Tucker, and Danuel House Jr. agile enough to defend on the perimeter, head coach Mike D’Antoni has a team that’s capable of switching on virtually all picks — since there aren’t many glaring mismatches to be found.
In effect, it’s a tradeoff. The Rockets are willing to give up some of the NBA’s usual defensive advantages, such as size, rebounding, and rim protection, for the upside of being able to switch more than most teams.
For that switching advantage to be realized, though, players must communicate their intentions to teammates on the floor. Tucker has cited this as a problem for Houston in the past, and in some games, it has led to too many blown assignments. But the upside of the NBA’s restart — which will occur without fans at the games — is that the lack of background noise should make it easier for players to hear on the court.
The Rockets know this should be an advantage to their switch-heavy style. Based on Covington’s comments, it’s off to a promising start.
[lawrence-related id=33954,34110]
Covington, who is averaging 12.8 points (35.7% on 3-pointers), 7.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game with the Rockets, said the ongoing training camp in Florida is also helping him fit in better on offense with the team he joined only 14 games ago.
“I’m just getting more accustomed within the offense,” Covington said Sunday. “I didn’t know too much, I was just out there playing and being guided. It’s helping me be more fluid with everything.”
Covington and the Rockets will play their first of three scrimmages on Friday night against Toronto, with their 2019-20 regular season set to resume a week later on July 31 versus Southwest Division rival Dallas.
[vertical-gallery id=34181]