Houston Rockets: 5 keys for rest of series vs. Warriors

1. Rockets’ depth needs to shine

What makes this Rockets team so much better than last year’s? It’s the rest of the roster outside of Harden and Paul. They have built a strong group with strengths at all positions. In fact, you could make the argument that it is their best factor going up against the Warriors. No one can touch the Warriors’ starting group, but their depth is questionable when compared to Houston’s.

Eric Gordon was a huge asset in Game 1, scoring an efficient 27 points as their second-leading scorer. Other players, such as P.J. Tucker and Iman Shumpert, will need to take their games to a whole new level. Their defense is spectacular, and is what makes them a tough matchup for the Warriors, but adding in a bit of offense could be what separates the two teams down the stretch. Both players have the ability to play at both ends, and there is no better time than now to try and reach that next level of play.

Danuel House Jr. was a welcome surprise this season. Averaging about 20 minutes in the playoffs, it would be a pleasant surprise to see him break out in the postseason. Is there really a better proving ground? House was a good player for the Rockets down the stretch, and making the most of his minutes against the Warriors could prove to be a career-changing experience. He is now part of the mix and needs to follow suit.

If the Rockets rely only on Harden, Paul and Gordon to score, their chances of beating the Warriors become even smaller. The Dubs’ offense is so good that even with such defensive-minded players, they still find a way to put points on the board. They make some of the hardest shots with ease, and responding to that with good ball movement and secondary scoring could be an efficient way to stay in the game.