Houston Rockets: 5 Keys To Winning Game 7

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May 8, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard J.J. Redick (4) shoots a basket against Houston Rockets guard Jason Terry (31) during the second half in game three of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Defending The Three-Point Line

It’s hard to argue that the Houston Rockets need to make their three-pointers to win games. In fact, they’ve shot a lower three-point percentage in wins this series (31.0 percent) than they have in losses (36.2 percent). But when it comes to defending the three-point line, that’s a completely different story.

The Rockets were one of the best defensive teams in the league during the regular season, but they’ve strayed away from that identity at times during the playoffs. Against the NBA’s highest scoring offense, an offense that takes a high volume of three-pointers, Houston has predictably suffered when they haven’t played sound defense.

That defense starts with stifling Lob City’s three-point attack on the perimeter. In their three losses of this series, the Rockets have given up 42.9 percent shooting from downtown. In the Clippers’ three losses, that number plummets to 24.4 percent.

Some of that has to do with the Clippers just missing shots, since the Rockets have given up a similar percentage of uncontested threes in both victory and defeat. But if they can hone in on J.J. Redick and shut him down, Houston will cut off a very important head of Los Angeles’ hydra attack:

Redick in wins: 22.0 PPG, 59.5 FG%, 60.0 3P%, 66.7 percent shooting on wide open shots
Redick in losses: 12.0 PPG, 28.6 FG%, 26.1 3P%, 33.3 percent shooting on wide open shots

Last night, Redick was just plain missing wide open looks. Houston can’t count on that happening to one of the league’s deadliest three-point snipers in a Game 7, so they’ll have to do a better job limiting the looks this potential X-factor gets.

Next: No. 3

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