At 15-6, the Houston Rockets are off to their best start in eight seasons. But as super as it has been, their kryptonite has emerged: navigating the second night of a back-to-back without Steven Adams.
Houston became the final team in the NBA to play a back-to-back, doing so for the first time on Dec. 1. And so far, the Rockets have dropped both games when playing on no rest. First to the Utah Jazz, then Saturday night against the Dallas Mavericks, two current non-playoff teams with fewer than 10 wins apiece.
The problem for Houston? Adams isn’t in the rotation for those games. The Rockets are intentionally holding him out on the second night of back-to-backs.
And in those games, Houston has struggled across the board. Their defense hasn’t been nearly as sharp (including surrendering a season-high in points to Utah). Their rebounding, typically the best in the league with Adams, has slipped noticeably. And on offense, the absence of Adam’s screening is felt when trying to create opportunities without a true point guard.
Despite these early warning signs, the Rockets don’t plan to deviate from their approach just yet.
Ime Udoka won't change Steven Adams plan yet
When asked about Adams' availability, head coach Ime Udoka said that this remains the plan “for now.”
Adams is 32 and now two years removed from the knee injury that cost him his entire first season in Houston, and eight years removed from playing a full campaign.
The Rockets are managing his workload with the postseason in mind, prioritizing the 16-game playoff schedule over the 82-game regular season grind.
Still, Houston must ensure it reaches the postseason in a strong position. Even with only two back-to-backs played, the Rockets sit just percentage points away from the No. 5 seed in a deep Western Conference.
As the schedule toughens, how well will the Rockets be able to hold off the teams behind them? Houston has 12 more back-to-backs in their remaining 58 games. Add in the fact that their star, Kevin Durant, is already 37 years old and will also need to limit his minutes at some point, as well. Which further shrinks the margin for error.
Houston’s next back-to-back includes the Denver Nuggets in a huge game later this month, followed by the Sacramento Kings, which suddenly becomes a tougher matchup without Adams.
Udoka’s team is very good at winning with their distinctive brand of basketball: slower pace, limited three-pointers, and the best rebounding attack in the league. But can Houston win when required to play a different way? Such as when Adams is unavailable, and their rebounding advantage disappears.
At some point, the Rockets will run into a tough matchup, or a team that has solved their style, especially over a long playoff series. To win a title, Houston will need a reliable change-up. And, so far, they haven’t found one just yet.
Right now, the Rockets go the way of Adams. But with Adams slated to sit at least 12 more games in a tight Western Conference race, Houston must find an answer to their one glaring kryptonite.
