The Houston Rockets entered the season with high expectations after trading for former Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest. But injuries to Shane Battier and Brent Barry, and “discomfort” in Tracy McGrady’s surgically repaired knee have prevented Houston from taking the court at full-strength.
Houston’s defense has been solid. Weakside rotations have been a step slow at times, and they continue to give up too many layups, but led by Artest, the Rockets are fourth in points allowed per 100 possessions.
Houston’s offense has been a different story altogether. The Rockets are twentieth in points scored per 100 possessions. Houston is not executing anything remotely similar to the “motion offense” Rick Adelman ran in Sacramento. Adelman’s offense in Sactown was predicated upon high-post passing, backcuts, and ball handoffs. This year’s Rockets squad relies on the one-on-one play of McGrady, Yao Ming, and Ron Artest.
McGrady, Ming, and Artest are proven scorers, but their teammates have become bystanders. There is little movement away from the ball. Artest has been a black hole thus far — averaging a team-high 14.6 shot attempts per game — while shooting a meager 34% from the field.
Artest shot 5-of-18 from the field Sunday night against the Denver Nuggets. After the game, Adelman noted that Artest “needed to look to kick the ball out better when he put it on the floor.”
Artest played for Adelman in Sacramento, but you’d never guess it by the looks of him this year. Artest hasn’t looked comfortable all season. When he isn’t forcing shots down low, he’s settling for jumpshots on the perimeter.
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