Houston Rockets urged not to find Fred VanVleet’s replacement, NBA expert gives Celtics’ example

Tim Legler mentions Boston Celtics’ unique playing style amid Houston Rockets’ troubles

Most teams in the NBA run their offense through a traditional point guard. For the Rockets, that player was supposed to be VanVleet.

However, NBA expert Tim Legler isn’t worried about the Rockets. Instead, he urged the franchise to take a page out of the Boston Celtics‘ book.

“I look at a team like Boston. In Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, neither one of those guys is really a traditional lead guard. They’re just good players.

“Most of their offense initiation, even whether it’s ISO or ball screen, came from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They’re forwards,” Legler said on All NBA podcast.

He added: “And then the two guards could handle the ball. Both excellent defenders, which made them more valuable for them…

“Jrue was more of like a weak-side cutter type post-up guard, and Derrick White became really an excellent spot-up shooter or a shooter shooting a three-off ball screen.”

Tim Legler thinks Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant can run the Houston Rockets’ offense

Legler’s point was spot-on as the White-Holiday duo was primarily in the starting lineup because of their defensive capabilities. On the other hand, Tatum and Brown handle the point guard duties for the C’s.

Now, coming to the Rockets, Legler believes the dynamic duo of Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant is capable of following in Tatum and Brown’s footsteps.

“So maybe Houston with Sengun’s ability to initiate, with Kevin Durant’s ability to initiate,” Legler continued. “We talked about Amen Thompson and his ability to initiate in a different way than those guys. Maybe that’s enough.”

Considering the Rockets’ financial restrictions, Legler’s advice seems like the best move forward for head coach Ime Udoka next season.