Is Small-Ball Equipped For The Playoffs?

Can the Houston Rockets outrun the rest of the NBA? This is the main question as they head down to Orlando for the NBA resumption. Before the season was put on hiatus, the Rockets entered their small-ball version and got off to a good start. With Russell Westbrook and James Harden as the primary ball-handlers, the Rockets went 7-2 to begin their new era but then lost four of their last five and fell out of the top 10 in offensive and defensive net rating.

Robert Covington gives the Rockets better spacing but it also opens them up for more long-range shots. This is not the best suitable option for players like Westbrook and Harden. Harden is great at getting to the foul line but with the small-ball approach, the team is not driving the lane as they once were with Clint Capela patrolling the paint.

Are the Rockets quick enough to run through teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers who are two of the better defensive teams in the NBA? The playoffs will easily turn into a halfcourt game and that’s where troubles may come. Covington and P.J. Tucker are solid players but as a unit, the Rockets have struggled on the boards and with assists.