Article Pub: 3-pointers: Takeaways from the Rockets’ 124-114 loss to the Warriors

By Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle

Published 9:19 am, Friday, January 5, 2018

Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Jordan Bell (2) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

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Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Golden State Warriors forward Jordan Bell (2) blocks a shot by Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) fights for a loose ball with Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors forward Jordan Bell (2) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) knocks a rebound away from Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) runs into Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) as he drives in the lane during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors guards Shaun Livingston (34) and Klay Thompson (11) defend a shot by Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) has the ball knocked away from him by Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni argues a call with referee Karl Lane during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) takes a shot against Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) jumps past Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) on a drive to the basket during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) and Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) gert tangled up under the basket during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) dunks over Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) points to the sky after hitting a 3-pointer against Houston Rockets forward Ryan Anderson (33) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) goes up for a dunk against the Houston Rockets during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) fouls Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Golden State Warriors guard Nick Young (6) takes a backwards shot over Houston Rockets forward Tarik Black (28) during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni argues a call during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) shoots a layup past Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and injured Rockets guard James Harden, left, stand and argue a call during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) takes a shot over Golden State Warriors forward David West (3) and guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) falls backwards as he is fouled by Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni argues a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )

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Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

The Rockets found enough scoring to stay in the game. They even led by nine late in the first half. They gave themselves a chance to steal a win in the closing minutes.

None of that is enough to beat the Warriors, even a version diminished without Kevin Durant. With the game on the line down the stretch, the Warriors ran their offense efficiently and easily. The Rockets could not get the stops they would need to steal a win.

Playing without James Harden, the Rockets did not consider the loss inevitable. They scored well. They believed they let a chance at a win slip away. That attitude might have been necessary to have kept the game tight in the first place. It now could be valuable if the Rockets are to close the gap.

1. Mike D’Antoni refused to even consider that the Rockets could not disrupt the Warriors. They did not on Thursday, especially down the stretch when the Warriors moved the ball and themselves to great shots, assuring that they would score their way through the close of the game. But the Rockets insisted their defense can do much more to challenge the champions. To a degree, they are right. The Warriors will score. They are among the best offensive teams ever, if not the best. Even without Kevin Durant, they will score on anyone. But the Rockets can eliminate the mistakes that made things easy for the Warriors on too many possessions. There were too many times that two defenders went to a ballhandler, leaving the roll man open at the rim. They closed out on Andre Iguodala at the 3-point line, allowing him to drive for a dunk. They left shooters open when they made the wrong switch. They did not do that all game. There were just enough of those sorts of missteps to get under D’Antoni’s skin and remain there after the Warriors surged late in the game. The Rockets can correct that. The greater and more important improvement would be to maintain the defensive intensity in general for 48 minutes. The Warriors were typically their best immediately after a Rockets run. When the Rockets led by nine late in the first half, the Warriors needed 90 seconds to go into the second half down one. When the Rockets rode a wave of Gerald Green 3s and Eric Gordon drives to lead by six late in the third quarter, the Warriors hit them with a 16-1 run to end the third and start the fourth. The Warriors offense was its best when the Rockets’ was at its best. But that’s when the Rockets defense needed to rise, too. When it did not, that, as much as a handful of mistakes were more than the Rockets could overcome.
2. With James Harden out, the Rockets have found ways to make up for much of the lost scoring. But they lost the margin for error they need against a team that can score the way the Warriors did on Thursday. Eric Gordon provided the dribble penetration the Rockets normally get from Harden, repeatedly getting to the rim and finishing effectively. With the Warriors switching defensively, as they always do, he even went one-on-one against big men, as Harden so often has, to burn one of the league’s best defenses. Gerald Green provided the outside shooting and then some. He went 8 of 15 from the 3-point line, becoming the first player in franchise history to make seven or more 3s in consecutive games. But without Harden, the Rockets could not afford to have key shooters miss the shots the Rockets’ offense is built to get them. They could win that way, and easily, against the Magic, not the Warriors. Ryan Anderson made 1 of 4 3-pointers. Trevor Ariza made just 1 of 8. P.J. Tucker had a second-consecutive scoreless game and a seventh-straight with one or fewer field goals, making 5 of 21 shots in that stretch. The Rockets don’t need him to score if he can provide tough defense off the bench. They can come up with enough scoring on nights Anderson gets few shots or Ariza doesn’t make his. But with Harden out, they cannot be without scoring from that many contributors against the Warriors. They have gotten more than they could have even imagined from Green. Gordon has been sensational since Harden’s injury, scoring and playmaking without turning the ball over. But that was not enough with the Rockets doing enough to make up for the scorer that was missing, but not for the shooters that were missing shots.

3. The Rockets said all the right things about carrying on without James Harden, but what else could they say? They were stunned by the injury to the player that never gets hurt. They knew how difficult it would be to excel without him. But they also knew that they would have to make themselves believe they could still thrive. That might have been a difficult challenge, but players tend to lean on their confidence when necessary, and have shown since that they will approach the weeks without Harden expecting to win. When they lost to the Warriors, they were not happy with playing well but frustrated and even angry that they did not play well enough, blaming themselves – and not the injury to their star – for the mistakes that cost them. They showed that they believe they have enough to get by and remain near the top of the Western Conference standings. The coming road games against the Pistons and Bulls will be key to that. Both teams are unpredictable. The Rockets have put together a rotation with Harden and Luc Mbah a Moute out. They have shown they can still score in bunches. They have found a sixth man replacement for Eric Gordon while Gordon starts in Harden’s spot. The games ahead will be crucial. They play teams with losing records in four of the next five games, with four of those games on the road. The Rockets believe they can play at a level worthy of their spot in second in the Western Conference. They need the upcoming stretch of games to prove it.

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Article Pub

Friday, 5 January 2018

3-pointers: Takeaways from the Rockets’ 124-114 loss to the Warriors

Published 9:19 am, Friday, January 5, 2018

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