Fred VanVleet Picking Up Steam For the Rockets

Fred VanVleet is coming alive for the Houston Rockets as the team looks to stay alive against the Golden State Warriors. After a few difficult games to begin the series, VanVleet has settled into the postseason. He is also helping the Rockets settle in as they attempt to battle uphill and try to bring the series back to Houston for Game 7.

The Rockets have desperately needed the scoring punch from one of their perimeter players. Their first postseason victory featured an explosive scoring night from Jalen Green, whose 38 points helped deliver the win. Green hasn't recovered the same effectiveness in any of his other games this postseason, so the Rockets have been missing the element of a consistent perimeter scorer.

Alperen Sengun has done his best to supplement the offensive attack, and his pairing with Steven Adams helps Houston pull down offensive rebounds that create easy second-chance points.

However, the top contenders in the league have at least one player who provides an individual threat from the perimeter. The Rockets struggled to find that production level until VanVleet stepped up and became more aggressive offensively.

He has shot the ball extremely well from deep, knocking down crucial 3-pointers in the clutch. VanVleet has also found his spots in the mid-range, hitting pull-up shots off screens.

After scoring 25 points in a tight defeat in Game 4, VanVleet delivered again with a 26-point outing in Game 5 to lead the Rockets in scoring. His scoring has been vital in recent games, and Houston is hoping he can continue his hot shooting in the Bay Area.

The Rockets benefited from quiet nights by Golden State's perimeter players in Game 5. Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler didn't have their usual dominant performances against Houston. The defense impacted their games, but they still expect to have strong performances against tough defenses. The Rockets likely can't expect both Curry and Butler to struggle in Game 6, as the Warriors likely will be desperate to try to end the series without playing in a first-round Game 7.

VanVleet has been the steadying force that combats the contributions from Curry and Butler. He and Sengun won't be able to supply enough offense without support from one of their teammates. In Game 6, Dillon Brooks provided a secondary scoring burst with the team's third-highest point total. Amen Thompson chipped in offensively with 25 points, but it's not certain if he'll be able to repeat that performance.

The Rockets will rely on Fred VanVleet until they can get more production from their players outside Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. Houston hasn't had enough scoring in this series, and VanVleet gives them an element they'd miss if he didn't perform as well as he has in the last few games.