Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Timberwolves

2. The Rockets defense comes alive in the playoffs

In spite of shooting a putrid 10-for-37 from the 3-point line, the Rockets defense proved to be quite efficient without forward Luc Mbah a Moute in Game 1, as they held Minnesota’s top two offensive options in check with the help of both P.J. Tucker and Trevor Ariza.

Each took on the challenge of guarding Karl-Anthony Towns inside as well, and held him to just eight points on just nine field goal attempts in his playoff debut. They also forced Jimmy Butler into tough shots throughout the night, holding the Timberwolves to just 43.8 percent shooting from the field as a team.

Although Tucker and Ariza combined to score only six points on offense, the two wings stepped up mightily in the absence of one of Houston’s top individual defensive players, doing a solid job of cross switching on post-ups involving Towns. This is in addition to other role players such as Eric Gordon and Gerald Green, who helped the Rockets get some big defensive stops late in the game.

While it will be interesting to see what adjustments Thibodeau and Minnesota will seek to make for Game 2, this has to be a positive sign for the Rockets. Staying committed on the defensive end could be the difference between whether or not they capture an NBA championship.