The Houston Rockets have hit a skid.
(Even if Kevin Durant wants to downplay it).
The Rockets have dropped four of their last five contests and have lost to each of the bottom-four teams in the Western Conference this month.
It gets worse. Houston was supposed to be a team that gets after it on the defensive end of the floor. That’s been their identity.
Yet they rank 24th in defensive efficiency in December.
But let’s focus on the other end of the floor, because Ime Udoka’s specialty is on defense. Their defensive execution is more likely to improve than their offense is.
The offensive strategy has simply been lacking. It’s been a lot of “save me” offense.
Or hero ball.
Or “your turn, my turn” offense, between Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun.
Whatever you wanna call it. It’s been ineffective.
Houston has spammed the 35 pick-and-roll action, putting the onus on Durant as a playmaker.
Speaking of which, Durant has been forced to play more of a point guard role than anticipated.
Which leads to turnovers.
Teams blitz him and trap him and he struggles to pass out, without turning the ball over.
The Amen Thompson point guard experiment is pretty much over, seemingly. Udoka has realized that Thompson isn’t a primary initiator.
He has the will and desire, but lacks the know-how.
Houston’s offensive identity is predicated on offensive rebounds and second chance points.
They’re the best offensive rebounding team in NBA history.
They also rank 23rd in passes made per game, 18th in assists and 16th in assist points created.
Oh and they turn the ball over second-most in the association.
Udoka isn’t an offensive mind. Nor is anyone on his staff, clearly.
Houston needs to look externally to fix this.
Mike D’Antoni should get a call. He has ties to the organization and is still Houston’s winningest coach of all-time.
The Rockets should bring him in as an advisor, much like the role he most recently had with the New Orleans Pelicans.
D’Antoni has held an advisory role since his coaching tenure ended in Houston.
Up until now.
He’s not consulting anywhere.
But he’s one of the greatest offensive minds the league has ever seen. In four seasons with the Rockets, D’Antoni pioneered Houston to the second-best offense twice, the league’s best offense in 2017-18 and the sixth-best offense in 2019-20, with Russell Westbrook in the backcourt alongside Harden.
D’Antoni also has ties to Ime Udoka, as the two were both on Steve Nash’s staff with the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21.
This would be a reunion on several fronts. And it could be the only viable external addition made by the Rockets.