When we last checked in on the Rockets’ defense, things weren’t exactly rosy. The team ranked last in the league half-court defense, bottom ten in defensive rating, and bottom five in virtually all hustle metrics. However, since that dreadful 1-5 start, the Rockets have allowed a stingy 94.9 points per game, good for best in the league by six total points. So what’s changed?
Let’s take a look:
Personnel
While it’s an easy narrative to point to Carmelo Anthony’s replacement with superior defenders as the primary reason for the improvement, it’s unfortunately a correct one.