Explaining the Rockets' Offensive Attack This Season

Much has been made about the Houston Rockets' top-five offensive attack this season. Houston ranks second in offensive efficiency and fifth in points per game.

But they aren't quite a well-oiled offensive machine. This isn't the James Harden and Chris Paul-led team pioneered by Mike D'Antoni.

These Rockets rank 23rd in passes and dead last in long-range attempts. Very different from the Harden-D'Antoni-Paul-Daryl Morey quartet.

But they feast on the offensive glass, at a 38 percent clip, which is surprisingly a regression (if you can believe that).

Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports unveiled the scouting report on the Rockets' offensive strategy and was quite spot on.

"Getting that many more bites at the apple, and capitalizing on them so effectively, ishow a Houston team that takes fewer 3-pointers per game than any other squad in the NBA can still boast one of the league’s most potent and efficient attacks."

Devine continued, expounding upon Houston's abundance of scoring options, an ode to the depth acquired by Rockets general manager Rafael Stone and company.

"When they’re at their best, the Rockets come at you in waves on the offensive end.

It’s Thompson repeatedly getting downhill into the paint, and Alperen Şengün meanspiritedly pirouetting his way into all manner of infuriating flip shots and needle-threading drop-offs, and Kevin Durant barely seeming to break a sweat as he gets to his preferred spots in the midrange or pops a trail 3 in an unsuspecting defender’s eye.

When they’re really scary, it’s because those headliners have help: Jabari Smith Jr. drilling jumpers spotting up and running off pindowns, Reed Sheppard snaking the pick-and-roll to get to CP3-style elbow pull-ups in rhythm, and Tari Eason — an absolute menace on both ends of the court, just fully Grinching it up — ripping and running and terrorizing."

Houston has seen an uptick in Durant as a playmaker, operating as a lead on-ball facilitator. The Rockets have turned to a number of options there also, starting with Amen Thompson at the start of the season, but it became clear that wasn't the best use of him offensively.

Durant is a capable passer, who makes the right reads, but he struggles when he gets trapped and blitzed, which leads to an uptick in turnovers.

Devine continued, noting the challenge of Houston's point guard deficit.

"On some nights, the lack of a proper half-court organizer of a point guard will rear its ugly head; on others, though, the sheer tonnage of Houston’s athleticism, ferocity and talent will dispense with any such concerns. On those nights, these Rockets can straight up run you out of your gym."

Continuing on the Durant point, he's averaging 7.8 assists over the last four games (which is notably a small sample size), while also doling out 3.8 turnovers.

Thursday's victory over the Brooklyn Nets was another example. Durant was in his playmaking bag, dishing out 11 assists, but at the expense of six turnovers.

Houston will take it, nonetheless, as they've won all four games during that stretch.

Next up for the Rockets is the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday