In Monday’s 113-100 (box score) home loss to Dallas (3-4), it could be argued that the Rockets (2-3) ran into some bad luck, defensively. After all, Mavericks reserve Tim Hardaway Jr. — who entered the game shooting 32.7% on 3-pointers — scored 30 points and connected on an astounding 8-of-10 (80.0%) from behind the arc. MVP candidate Luka Doncic also had his best game of the 2020-21 season to date with 33 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists at Toyota Center.
Perhaps that’s why head coach Stephen Silas seemed more frustrated by Houston’s offense in his postgame remarks. “We reverted back to isolation basketball,” Silas said. “We were way too stagnant. Didn’t move the ball enough to put pressure on [the Dallas defense]. The amount of our five-out possessions were minimal, and it’s got to be fixed.”
Starting center Christian Wood led Houston with 23 points (53.3% FG), but he missed all five of his 3-pointers, and he was pulled midway through the fourth quarter after he appeared to struggle on defense.
Superstar guard James Harden added 21 points and 10 assists, but he shot just 5-of-17 (29.4%) from the field, and his plus/minus figure of -24 in 38 minutes was worst on the team. By comparison, the Rockets were +11 in the nine-plus minutes that Harden did not play.
Former head coach Mike D’Antoni once referred to Harden as possibly the best isolation scorer in NBA history, but Silas has called for more ball and player movement since taking the Houston job before the season. (It’s worth noting that this perspective was endorsed last week by Harden himself, who praised Silas for playing him off the ball more.)
Whatever the reason, Houston seemed to revert back to old habits on Monday, and it wasn’t good enough against a hot-shooting Dallas squad that made 16-of-39 shots (41.0%) from 3-point range. By comparison, the Rockets shot just 11-of-40 (27.5%). Both teams were shorthanded on Monday, with the Mavs missing star big man Kristaps Porzingis and the Rockets without starting forward Danuel House Jr. (back spasms) and backup center DeMarcus Cousins (early ejection).
Here’s a sampling of Monday’s postgame reaction from Toyota Center. Houston returns to action on Wednesday night in Indiana.