Stubborn Shooters: Rockets Struggle in Second Half, Collapse to Thunder 117-114, as OKC Knots Series
Prisoners of the Mindset. Rollercoaster Variance. Momentum Swinging in the Wind.
“Get busy living, or get busy dying,” Andy Dufresne says in The Shawshank Redemption, widely regarded as one of the best films ever made. And on Monday night, James Harden and the Rockets got busy all right. Houston started out Game 4 on fire from beyond the arc, and despite being tied 60-60 at halftime, you still had the feeling they had this game in the bag. This contest didn’t look bleak from the the opening tip. The tale of Game 4 came in the third quarter, when the Rockets came blazing out of the break, draining their first 8 attempts from deep to grab a 15-point lead. Everything was going according to plan, but then came the sudden switch. As Houston was on fire from distance, all of of a sudden, the shots stopped splashing. And to no surprise, the squad just kept launching from distance, helpless prisoners of their own mindset. The stubborn Rockets stuck to their “3 is better than 2” plan, despite their ability to get to the rim at will, which was on full display in the first half. And yet another Rocket Launchfest turned into a sloppy Brick City. As a result, Chris Paul and the Thunder rallied for a 117-114 victory over the Rockets. CP3 had 26 points and helped lead the comeback, but it was Dennis Schroder who once again keyed the Thunder victory. Houston couldn’t stop Schroder from getting to the basket if their entire families were at stake. The NBA’s leading scorer finished with 30 points off the bench, and got the to rim at relative ease whenever he pleased, making Houston’s stingy defense in Games 1 and 2 look like a thing of years past. The Beard had 32 points and 15 dimes in the loss to lead a balanced Rockets attack. But Houston fell short as they got outplayed once again in the clutch by CP3 and OKC. So far in this series, the Rockets have won big, but lost the close games. The Thunder, known for being the best clutch team in basketball, closed out Houston again, and proved that the Rockets need better late-game execution if they’re going to advance past OKC.
Game 4 was Houston Heartbreak Part Two. And this one stung way more than the previous game. Why? On Monday night, the Rockets lost for only the second time all season when shooting 37% or better from three-point land. Even if they jack up 60 threes a night, if the shots are falling… Houston wins this type of game at least 90% of the time. The problem with Game 4 was the Rockets started out so hot from distance, especially during that ever-so-promising beginning to the third quarter, when Houston hit 8 straight from deep. This early success entering both halves morphed into one of those “launch for an NBA-Record 3-Point Field Goal Attempt” nights, which happen to often, where the Rockets refuse to deter from the idea. It’s Houston’s Achilles’ heel. Everyone knows Houston’s game plan. Either shoot from three, or drive the ball to the rack for free throws, a layup, or the open man. But if the shots aren’t falling and the splashes become a drought, the Rockets need to switch up their game-plan. Houston showed they could get to the rim early in Game 4, with James Harden and Eric Gordon having exceptional first halves driving the ball to the hoop. Danuel House Jr. and Jeff Green got in on the action as well, but these trigger happy Rockets stayed outside after that stretch of 8 straight threes to start the third quarter. And it eventually led to their doom in Game 3.
It’s crazy how dramatically different Game 4 has been compared to Game 1 in this series. Each game has its own identity. If there was one game Houston needed Russell Westbrook in this series, it was Game 4. Russ is not a heavy volume three-point shooter, regardless of how the team’s shooting overall from deep. Brodie helps the Rockets defer from their rollercoaster variance, as Westbrook’s drives are contagious. If they don’t result in layups, they’re often open looks for teammates from deep. Which the Rockets had in this game. However with Westbrook against the Thunder, Brodie’s former team, there’s little doubt Russ would’ve come out with his usual infectious energy and made a huge difference. Not just on the game, but specifically on the Beard. Westbrook’s presence calms the Beard, and alleviates defensive pressure from Harden because Russ is such a threat. And Westbrook has proven to be better finishing games than the Beard this season. Everyone knew Westbrook’s absence was going to impact this series, and now it’s definitely being seen. But after the first two games, it didn’t necessarily appear that way. Houston won Games 1 and 2 easily in double-digits without Russ. On the “road”, Games 3 and 4 have been heartbreaking losses for the Rockets. Houston now finds themselves in a bloodbath, best-of-three series, where Russ will be out for at least Game 5. And Game 4’s second-half drought that led us to this point, an even series between two heated opponents and former teammates, also has added momentum swinging in the wind, toward OKC’s favor. The “experts” expected this series to be close, but not in this way. Ask the analysts if they had the Rockets winning the first two, then dropping the next two in heartbreaking fashion. I doubt anyone saw this coming. Then again, if you know Houston sports, you’re familiar with heartbreak. I wouldn’t be surprised if this momentum swinging in the wind carries on to lead the Thunder to a Game 5 victory. It’s a pivotal game in the series, and era’s and legacies hang in the balance. I firmly believe Game 5’s winner will now win the series. If Houston can halt OKC’s momentum from the past two games, and play smarter, they should carry enough momentum to taste eliminating the Thunder in Game 6. However, if OKC wins Game 5, that’s three in a wins in a row. And it puts a lot of pressure on a Rockets team that already has questions facing them this offseason with rumors of Coach Mike D’Antoni’s ousting regardless of Houston’s success in these playoffs. Sounds a little familiar? Michael Jordan’s famously documented “The Last Dance”, which aired on ESPN earlier this summer, had the Bulls’ coach Phil Jackson, staring at a similar fate. Westbrook is listed as day-to-day, and could come back for Game 6. But we won’t know until Friday. Harden, who happens to turn 31 on the day of Game 5, will need a Jordanesque performance, and help from his teammates, or the Rockets will be staring elimination in the face.
Don’t expect Houston to shoot any less from deep, or change the way they play. They simply need to alter their prisoner mindset. Become cohesively aware of the situation at hand. A three is better than a two, but if it’s not going in, a higher amount of layups bests a few threes any night. Even without Westbrook, the Rockets still have more explosiveness than the Thunder. Houston was a Danuel House Jr. free throw away from winning Game 3, and basically gave Game 4 to OKC. The Rockets should still win this series, but they need to have their collective mindset focused on attacking the basket in Game 5. Quit settling for deep shots, especially bad ones. Some deep shots are great looks, others just aren’t. See the floor. Be aware of the game situation. Better options are always available. Houston displayed this, with their best offensive display of the entire season, four minutes into Game 4 with a perfectly executed play. Precise and heady ball movement let everyone touch the ball, and EG got a layup at the end of the shot clock. The Rockets had multiple chances to take threes on that possession, but instead hesitated, and chose to make a better play. Houston just needs to play smarter. Smarter is better for these Rockets. Yes, it’s that simple. But if they can’t recognize the situation at hand, in this series and during Game 5, Houston’s in trouble. CP3’s one of the smartest players in NBA history, and has his Thunder on the verge of pulling a stunner. A Houston loss and the Rockets season hangs in the balance. Harden and company need to get busy making the right choices each possession. Shoot themselves out of their misery, or decide to make the best decision on each play. A lot is on the line in Game 5. No one expected the Rockets to lose three games in a row, after winning the first two without Westbrook. One thing you can expect in Game 5 is a special game from Harden. The Beard’s birthday always fell in the offseason, but due to the pandemic and suspension of play, Houston’s other superstar gets a chance to play on his birthday, for the first time. The biggest game of James Harden’s life. Expect The Beard to get busy on Wednesday night, as we celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest to ever play the game. In a matchup that’ll decide which team’s closer to getting busy living or dying, the Rockets have the coldest killer in the game. No time to be anxious, let’s step back and dance. Mr. Harden… it’s time to get busy.