Rockets Offense EXPOSED Vs Thunder, Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun & Ime Udoka In The SPOTLIGHT
Rockets Offense EXPOSED Vs Thunder, Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun & Ime Udoka In The SPOTLIGHT
Houston Rockets offense stalls again as shooting woes and coaching questions loom. Can Kevin Durant and Alperen Şengün power through, or will fourth quarter collapses define the season? The 111-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder raises urgent questions about personnel depth, the impact of missing Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, and whether Ime Udoka’s lineup choices are stifling the attack.
Host Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) spotlights the Rockets’ lockdown defense through three quarters, analyzing why offensive droughts spiral out of control and what must change for the team to stay competitive in the Western Conference. Key points include Amen Thompson’s recent surge, Reed Sheppard’s inconsistency, and trade deadline possibilities. With marquee matchups ahead and flaws exposed, are the Rockets destined for contender status—or a frustrating year of missed opportunities? Don’t miss sharp insights on Houston’s next steps.
#Rockets #NBA #KevinDurant #AlperenSengun
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45 Comments
you nailed it at the end when you said "this season is a wash". It was a wash as soon as FVV injury was announced. Everyone was saying Amen/Alpi and KD can replace what he does, that just wasn't true. I doubt FO are going to panic too much and play the long game but continue to assess what the current form of the young guys. Fred's injury means basically the whole roster is playing outside of their role or fully out of position. They either have to completely blow it up, which I don't think they will, or continue playing the long game and have another go next season.
This team is not contenders
They are pretenders
I said our HEAD COACH NEEDED A OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. OUR OFFENSE IS TO BASIC AND EASY TO GAME PLAN AGAINST. FRED AND TARI IS MISSED. SMH. GO TEXANS!
This team would be better off keeping Dillon, Jalen and drafting a shooter or PG with 10. KD not an elevator, he's a closer, him on last yr team we probably win it all or lose in 7 to the thunder
I actually hate watching the rockets this year. They have become so boring to watch. Happens to all of KD teams.
This coach has always been Overrated. He is Terrible and People been gassing him up. They play zone and allow teams to shoot threes and hit like they are steph curry. Floor spacing and helps teams double KD. We are predictable. By the 4th quarter any decent coach picks us apart.
It's everyone, offense does not move or flash.
IT'S A COACHING ISSUE
Amen put up 20 almost every night . Maybe you should find other guys to blame . First leave Reed out of the convo Reed can neither play defense or offense
the immediate fix is senhub + off the ball movement. I would love to see this team coached by Michael Malone but won't happen in the near future.
Amen is having his best season you are the only one who have something bad to say about Amen games right now
We pass on Fox and Trae. It's time to push on Garland. He Is a crossover between the two: Is a good a passer, a good shooter, a decent defensive player. I Hope at least they try It, we Need someone to feed all the players in the roster than can't put the ball down and scoring. Basically all the roster with 2 ecxepitons.
Back when we had CP3 and Harden, we used to stagger their minutes from the 1-3 quarter so they constantly don’t have to be on the floor together and it worked at times. We can’t stagger KD and Sengun minutes because we don’t have role players who can step up when one of them is on the court. If we constantly have to play both of them together in order to win, that’s a concern.
I watched the game on TV and regretted it. Only five three-point shots made without counting the garbage time. What kept the Rockets in the game until the fourth quarter were Jabari's two three-point shots and a few plays by Alperen in the third quarter, as well as the defense. When they started the fourth quarter with Reed (instead of Davison or Okogie), I was worried. And when he was blown by two times on screens for an easy basket, I knew it was over.
You forgot to mention that the team also relies heavily on three players (Amen, KD and Alpi) in terms of playing time, just to stay competitive (not to mention winning). Resting Sengün until he's 100% may be good, but it won't happen and it won't change the situation the team is in.
You're not very keen on the idea of a trade either, yet the depth of this roster with this coach is not up to par with the competition. A change or adjustment is needed on one side or the other. If it stays as it is, I won't have any expectation for the Rockets.
And tonight against Minnesota, rinse and repeat?
I said the best thing about the Jalen Green trade was that no one else will be able to use him has an excuse for our losses. And the worst part of this whole trade is that I enjoy watching the Suns play more than the Rockets. Our game is slow and boring and the Suns are fasts exciting and swing the ball.
Either start JD Davison or Reed Sheppard. Simple.
I'll trade tari for aj green rn
Houston rockets need to make a move they not going to get any better Jabari Smith off and on.
Sengun pretty much shooting around his average of 50%. Granted that shooting avg isn’t great to begin with for a big but the rest of the team was absolutely abysmal from the field.
Ime's creativity on offense is lacking hard. He could use a Harden-like creator.
It's like he learned all Pop's defensive schemes, but none of the offense
I don't know why Jackson is making seem like FVV is the missing link.
Some of us referred to FVV as "Fred-jihad" (basketball terrorist) having one of his worst seasons just last year, and he's coming back from a significant injury. The growth has to come from our young core.
Steven adams us their key on offense but Udoka doesn't want him to the that guy
Whoever’s telling Adam’s to come up to the perimeter and help double the ball carrier needs there head checked, no one’s rotating over to the centre when he does
Udoka got exposed, can't wait to see him go
I’ve said this before: this team doesn’t have the right personnel, and that’s on the coaching staff and the front office. The KD trade itself wasn’t bad, but the follow-up moves actively made the team worse.
DFS getting injured is unfortunate, but his position was already stacked. Half the roster can play the 3–4 (KD, Bari, Tari, Thompson, Tate, Uncle Jeff), yet there’s no real SG in the starting five and only one serviceable PG (FVV) who is injured.
The Capela and Okogie signings were not the best moves. Capela looks even worse when you consider his contract is nearly triple Jock freaking Landale’s, while not being remotely close to what Landale is producing this season in Memphis.
What this roster needed were players who can consistently knock down catch-and-shoot looks, occasionally create their own shot, and hold up defensively. Instead, we ended up with a bunch of oversized wings and undersized guards with little to no shot creating ability besides KD and Sengun, which kills either defensive cohesion or offensive flow. That’s why there’s no lineup that can function without a glaring weakness.
Another typical Rockets 4th Quarter collapse. Rockets must make trade before Feb deadline, the sooner the better imo. Stone needs to help Udoka help himself.
1st Trade to fix starting 5:
HOU: Quentin Grimes, Kel'el Ware
MEM: Tyler Herro, Heat salary filler (e.g. Terry Rozier or Andrew Wiggins)
MIA: Ja Morant, Jabari Smith Jr., Jae'sean Tate, Grizz salary filler (e.g. Brandon Clarke)
PHI: Simone Fontecchio, Heat 2026 FRP
2nd Trade to fix HOUnds 2nd unit (goodbye Stay Ready Crew):
HOU: Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, Keon Ellis, Rayan Rupert
POR: Domantis Sabonis, Gabe Vincent, Jaxon Hayes, Jeff Green, Lakers salary filler, Kings pick(s)
LAL: Devin Carter, Jerami Grant, Duop Reath
SAC: Scoot Henderson, DFS, Rui Hachimura, Clint Capela, Aaron Holiday
Rockets get younger, longer and more athletic in starting 5 via additions of dynamic 2 way offensive engine in Grimes and improved rebounding, rim protection, FT% and 3P% in Ware. And bench unit improves IQ and tenacity regaining their HOUnds high effort identity with inclusions of Keon Ellis (physical 3-D wing), Rayan Rupert (2 way point forward with 7'3 wingspan), Smart and RW3 (last 2 are former Udoka stars with system knowledge + vet savvy).
Tari must be re-signed in offseason. And Grimes can also play alongside FVV next season with Amen at 3 spot and KD at 4 spot. Ware can also play alongside Alp or back him up, especially when Stevo is unavailable. If RW3 can be re-signed even better as Rockets really depend on 2 Big lineup for their offensive success.
Its time to start asking the tough questions
True enough. Ime Udoka and the coaches are part of the blame as well, but I personally feel that this team needs to make some trades. We have to get this offense back.
Well it’s KD!!!
Crazy how we got worse and the suns got better “cough cough” that let me get to my spot first offense is over all the best players start with the ball in their hand that let me get to spot slows everything down
Dude said, "at least with Reed you got somebody who can catch fire." 😅 Bruh, you just said his biggest asset is the POTENTIAL of making shots. Let it go bro. You Reed stans are killing me, at least Ime knows it was hype. Reed is seriously a waste of space rn
I think giving JD the keys to the offense is the best bet. He doesn’t need to fill up the stat sheet, just be a pure PG and allow Reed to be a catch & shoot guy coming off screens and Amen to play more from the dunker spot. He passes the eye test and dude keeps the ball moving better than anyone else on the team.
We want a shooter so bad 😔
a lot of the playmaking and shot selection needs to get good and generally the accuracy of the shots
Sengun = Temu Jokic’ not Baby Jokic’
Locked on SUNS? 😂, It Sound Locked on SUNS now @5:05 Sengun has been Exposed💩, you really cannot rely on Alpi in terms of Winning.If we all remember Last yr after the NBA All Star, Alpi and Fred was Injured, who carried the Rockets?, it was Jalen Green and Drillon Brooks, they won 10+ straight Games. Rockets Destroy thier lineup now 💩
amidst all the 2016 nostalgia it is important to mention that its not 2015/2016 anymore. kevin durant is not 25 he’s 37. the only way this team is going to be a contender is if the young core is better. even when fred is back, amen has to be better than he was last year on both ends, jabari needs to be better, and sengun needs to be the clear #1. it feels like some of the young core has regressed or just lost confidence. when those guys need to be our leaders. also coaching probably has to change bc i dont think the team is bought in to ime and its clearly just not working
I was going to get into it but Rockets are too exhausting, all I have to say is Giannis for Sengun.
The last two years I didn't like the fact thet people blamed Jalen Green for the rockets offensive problems. They should hire an offensive minded assistant coach. Where's John Lucas?
Missing Brooks fire and fearlessness
It's like I'm watching an episode of 2024-2025 Locked on Suns 😮
Sengun is a good player not a great player. He cannot dominate a game
If you can not shoot 3s you will not survive in this league, we have no 3s shooter at all, rockets may end up worse than last year as 2nd seed
KD teams…. Broken record. Iiwii . I’ve seen this movie too many times. He’s playing really well, “doing his part”, but it no longer has the impact on winning. They need to determine if sengun is thee guy and say this is how the offense is gonna go and build body/ball movement off of sengun like joker. KD shouldn’t be depended on atp to be a 1. He’s a high end 2. He should be a better more lethal deeper bag Michael porter when he helped the nuggets get a title. Sengun needs to step up and play like a superstar star if he is and things will start to get better. They don’t have a true disciplined offensive system but put backs, brick layers and KD/sengun taking turns. Idk there isn’t more pick and roll with those two. I haven’t watched a full game in weeks bc its too frustrating watching
Just another team that thought kD would be a huge difference maker
lets be clear fellas . AMEN IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE STARTING AND OR GETTIN 30 MINS A GAME . he cant shoot he clogs the paint . amen has to go foir a legit sg makes me realize we traded the wrong guard
every team KD is on, the same issues happen after a decent start, it's always a personnel or coaching issue. The team changes to playing the same style and same issues.