Why Rockets Will Be Eliminated In The Second Round Of Playoffs

Having Dwight Howard without a point guard that can make plays off the pick and roll is a waist of having Dwight Howard.  His biggest strength is his size and athleticism.  Pick and rolls allow Dwight to play where most mere mortals can't play, ABOVE THE RIM.  It puts tremendous pressure on the defense to rotate and rotate early because if you are late rotating to help on Dwight rolling to the basket its a dunk.  That pressure to rotate early also frees up shooters. It also gives them another option in the half court in the play-offs.   In a 7 game series you need multiple options offensively to beat championship level teams.  Against Golden State, the only offense the Rockets could rely on when the series got tight was James Harden Iso and James Harden pick & roll which often times turned into an Iso after the switch.    It would have been great if they could put Harden off the ball sometimes and allow a playmaking PG to either dish to Dwight for a dunk or pass the ball to Harden with the defense in rotation. It would be very tough for a defense to have to close out on Harden in the half-court.  He could pump fake and either get all the way to the basket or get fouled.  I thought they missed an opportunity not getting Rajon Rondo.  I thought there style of play matched his ability to find people in the open court and in transition.  He is not a shooter but the rockets don't need another shooter.  They need a floor leader that can get the players not named James Harden good shots when it counts the most deep in the playoffs. Record breaking 3 point stats look nice during the regular season but what the Rockets need is championship decision making and play making in championship moments and they don't have that on the roster right now.   If they don't solve that problem the will not make it out of the second round of the playoffs this year with the west getting more top heavy this off-season.