3 keys to turning the Houston Rockets’ woeful season around

Houston Rockets: Take care of the basketball!

Legendary UCLA Bruins Coach, John Wooden, once said “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” In the case of the Houston Rockets, the detail that could use more attention is the amount of turnovers they are committing on a nightly basis.

Currently, the Rockets are averaging a league-worst 17.6 turnovers per game. That is almost eighteen lost possessions on a nightly basis. No matter how many talented players there are on a roster, it is almost impossible to compensate for that volume of missed opportunities. Yes, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., the team’s two primary ball handlers, are young; but even young players have to learn to see the entire floor and make the right passes. Otherwise, the team’s turnover woes will plague them the entire season.

Some of these issues do not come down to individual responsibility, but rather team construction. Currently, the team has 15 players on the active roster and two additional players on two-way contracts. Out of these 17 players, seven of them are listed as guards. When almost half of the team believes the ball should be in their hands when they are on the floor, there are guaranteed to be miscues.

The trade deadline arrives just after the All-Star break. Between now and then, the Rockets have to make a move. By most accounts, veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon has a mutual agreement with the ownership group that he will retire as a part of the franchise; so it is unlikely that he will be moved.

However, the team must examine offers for some of the other veterans on the roster. This team needs a seasoned playmaker at the helm, a trusted point guard who can instill some patience in the young protégés. If not, their winning percentage is not likely to increase any time soon.