Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from 2017-18 season opener

1. P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute will be more valuable than people think

In Tuesday’s win, P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute were crucial down the stretch. From hitting clutch 3-pointers to causing turnovers or disruptions on defense, it can be argued that their presence won the game for Houston. Their impact was clearly reflected in the box score as well:

Both were hitting threes, and more importantly, hitting wing threes, a shot they had previously struggled with in recent seasons. Mike D’Antoni is known for telling his players to let it fly, and that attitude seems to have rubbed off on both players, as they weren’t hesitant to shoot.

On defense, the fact that the Rockets can now throw a lineup out with Tucker at center and Mbah a Moute at power forward makes them an extremely versatile team. Switching the pick-and-roll is a crucial ability for a defense to have if it hopes to stay in games against teams like the Warriors.

Now when the Warriors run numerous screens, one of Tucker, Mbah a Moute or Ariza can run out and switch onto Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, etc.

If Tucker and Mbah a Moute continue to let if fly from beyond the arc while providing tough, physical defense, their value will be even more underrated than it already is.

Next: 2017-18 NBA season previews, predictions and power rankings

In the end, the Rockets escaped with a win over the defending champions. It was a nice victory, but there are things to work on as the season continues to get underway.