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After losing their second straight game to the Golden State Warriors in their first-round playoff series and falling into a 3-1 hole, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is uncommitted to his starting five heading into Game 5.
Monday night presented the Rockets with an opportunity to even this series and regain home-court advantage with a win in San Francisco. Momentum was constantly switching sides throughout Game 4, but it seemed like the Rockets had figured something out by going big with Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams on the court together.
This big lineup has wreaked havoc on the small-ball Warriors, as Steve Kerr hasn't had many answers to combat Houston's size on the interior. Not only do the Rockets have these two big men on the floor together, but Jabari Smith Jr. also towers over Golden State's entire roster.
The Rockets' size and athleticism give them a clear advantage in this series, which is why a lineup change from Udoka may be necessary.
When asked if he is considering a change in the starting lineup immediately following Game 4's loss on Monday, Udoka kept his answer brief: “We’ll take a look at everything.”
Who will Ime Udoka take out of Rockets' starting lineup?
If Udoka and the Rockets do change their lineup, they would likely do so with the intention of getting adding size early in the game.
Houston has outrebounded Golden State 191-148 in this series, including 61-32 on the offensive glass. With their big-man lineup of Sengun, Adams, and Smith, the Rockets are +24 in 32 minutes, according to Esfandiar Baraheni of The Athletic.
This lineup has found success against the Warriors early in the playoffs, but who would the Rockets potentially move out of the starting lineup and to the bench if they were to start Adams and/or Smith?
The simple answer regarding who would move to the bench is Jalen Green. Other than scoring 38 points in the team's 109-94 Game 2 win in Houston, Green has been held in check, scoring a combined 24 points on 2-of-14 shooting from 3-point range in Games 1, 2, and 4.
Although he was +19 in the team's lone win of the series, Green has combined to go -30 in the team's three losses. Out of all the starters, he saw the least minutes in Game 4, only 25 minutes, due to Udoka turning to Smith and Adams off the bench.
Green's struggles have been under heat, including from Charles Barkley.
“I said before the game, before you can become a great player, you got to do other stuff to help your team,” Charles Barkley said of Green's performance. “Like he gets in a fog when he's not scoring, and he's just out. Think about that this guy, who we're bragging about all season, is going to be close to making the All-Star team.
“He's had single digits three out of four, had 38 one game, and he's had single digits the other three games. That can't happen, that cannot happen.”
Amen Thompson would be the other player Udoka could consider taking out of the starting lineup. The young guard was a team-worst -17 in 31 minutes against the Warriors on Monday night despite recording 17 points and nine rebounds. it is worth mentioning that he put together a nice offensive spurt late in the game, scoring on four of seven possessions early in the fourth quarter.
With their backs up against the wall, Udoka and the Rockets will be trying anything to come out of Game 5 with a win. These two teams will meet in Houston for the third time this series on Wednesday night in what has suddenly become an elimination game for the Rockets.
