It didn’t take too long for the Rockets to find their groove offensively, with a pair of close losses to open the season paving the way for Houston to unlock the potential pundits had forecast.
The Rockets thumped the Boston Celtics 128-101 on Saturday for their third consecutive win, a performance that left Houston atop the NBA in offensive rating (127.8) entering Sunday. The high-octane Rockets will host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
Houston ranked second in true shooting percentage (63.2) and fourth in effective field goal percentage (58.4) through five games, confirming the lofty expectations from the pairing of Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun.
Durant is averaging 27.2 points with a 60.9% effective field goal percentage, while Sengun has posted 22.2 points and 7.6 assists, serving as the hub of the Rockets’ offense. With Sengun generating open looks for teammates when opponents attempt to thwart his paint dominance with a second defender, the Rockets are leading the league by shooting 45.4% on 3-pointers.
“I still feel like we’ve got a long way to go, but I like what the last two games have produced,” Durant said after scoring 26 points on just 11 shot attempts in 30 minutes at Boston. “We’re moving the basketball and not forcing too much. I still feel like in order for us to be a great offensive team, we’ve got to keep the ball in our hands and not turn it over. We’ve got to be better in that area.
“Everyone is feeling more comfortable and confident around each other. Hopefully, we continue to build on it.”
The short-handed Mavericks proved unable to fend off the Detroit Pistons in Mexico City on Saturday, surrendering a 35-point fourth quarter after leading by six entering the final frame en route to a 122-110 loss.
Dallas, with guards Kyrie Irving (knee) and Dante Exum (knee) sidelined to open the season, played without Anthony Davis (calf) and Dereck Lively II (knee) against the Pistons and was overwhelmed in the paint without its tandem of starting bigs.
The Mavericks did welcome back center Daniel Gafford (ankle) to their rotation, but without Davis and Lively, they were no match for the brutish Pistons, who recorded a 72-26 advantage in paint points. P.J. Washington and Dwight Powell were charged with offsetting the absences, but Pistons center Jalen Duren dominated inside with his 33-point, 10-rebound double-double.
It will get no easier in Houston for the Mavericks. While the Rockets have pivoted from the historic “skyline lineup” they used to open the season, they still possess the options to bully smaller opponents inside. The smallish Mavericks will certainly have their hands full.
“I think in this league you’ve got to play with the guys that you have,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “For three quarters, we put ourselves in a position to win that game. Unfortunately there in the fourth, they dominated the paint, they got the turnovers, and they capitalized off our turnovers. And we missed some shots that we normally make. We have to be better.
“It’s hard to win in this league, and we just came up short. Being short-handed, we never use as an excuse. You play with the guys that you have, and the guys played their heart out.”
