Skip to content

Rockets built their own Death Lineup and it's unstoppable

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

The Houston Rockets are taking small ball to its logical extreme.

The deadliest lineup on the league's deadliest team features no bigs whatsoever. The Rockets have played P.J. Tucker as their de facto center around four other wing players to close out their last two games, with incredible results.

Houston outscored the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans by a combined 35 points in the fourth quarter. Neither team knew how to guard the Rockets, nor could they exploit Houston's lack of size for easy points.

In 15 minutes with Tucker at center in the fourth quarter of those games, the Rockets made 19-of-25 from the field, including 14-of-15 from two-point range for 49 points. Meanwhile, they conceded only 27 points and forced seven turnovers.

The formula on offense is simple: Four shooters space the floor, while either Chris Paul or James Harden works in isolation. They will set the occasional ball screen to draw the right mismatches, but the goal is to give their two stars as much room as possible to attack.

(Courtesy: NBA.com)

The primary defender is on an island in these scenarios. There's nobody in the paint because there isn't a big man on the floor, and sending a double means leaving a 3-point shooter open.

Harden has been completely unguardable in these one-on-one scenarios. He is scoring a league-best 1.30 points per possession while also isolating more than any other player in the league.

Defenders are at his mercy once he gets into his rhythm dribble. Harden can either step back for three, or he can get his shoulder past his man and power his way to the rim. He's routinely making defenders look foolish - just ask Noah Vonleh.

Paul is doing the same thing to a lesser degree. He doesn't have Harden's driving ability, but his handle is just as nasty, and his outside shot has been lights-out of late. He's scoring a respectable 1.04 points per isolation, which is tied with Kyrie Irving for the seventh-highest mark in the league.

Theoretically, the Rockets should be making a trade-off on defense with no bigs on the floor, but they've figured out how to limit the damage.

While there isn't any rim protection to speak of, the Rockets have allowed just one offensive rebound. They can afford to swarm the glass since they're only looking to isolate going the other way. It helps that Tucker is built like a brick house and is strong enough to box out anyone, including an exhausted DeMarcus Cousins at the end of Monday's game.

The Rockets have managed lockdown defense on the perimeter too; Paul, Tucker, Trevor Ariza, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute have all played with active hands. They've come up with six steals in the last two fourth quarters while committing just three fouls.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox