Rockets Wings Could Be Key To Sustained Success

The Houston Rockets have one of the deepest teams in the league, especially with their wing depth. They have several players with signficant wingspan, and the ability to multiple things on the court.

With the injury to Fred VanVleet, the Rockets are depending on the production of their wings to stay competitive on both sides of the court.

Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Dorian Finney-Smith make up a signficant portion of the team, and are vital parts of their efforts each game.

They make up the core of Houston's defensive efforts, leaning on Thompson and Eason to play point-of-attack defense, with Smith Jr. playing as a switchable threat with skill as a help defender.

Finney-Smith is still ramping up from his injury that has kept him from beginning the season, but he will be an elite addition when the Rockets can finally have him on the court.

For now, the Rockets are hoping to get enough production from the return of Eason, who was having a career year from three-point range before his injury. He suffered a setback prior to the team's recent game against the Denver Nuggets, but reports are tracking him to return to the lineup soon.

Defensively, the Rockets need each of their wings to be healthy for them to compete.

Without a true lead ball handler, the Rockets have relied on the efforts of Sengun and Durant in the half court, while taking advantage of live-ball turnovers and fast break opportunities with their wings.

Houston's wings make quality decisions in transition, running and filling lanes with speed. Not only can they finish at the rim, but they can also make open shots in transition while opposing defenses are off balance.

The offense hasn't looked the same since Eason's injury, and it could add more layers when Finney-Smith returns.

Against the league's top teams, the Rockets have the ideal lineup to compete defensively.

They have several players they can send at opposing ball handlers, and they have the ability to switch in multiple places on the court. The difficulty shows up when some of the wings are missing, limiting how switchable the overall defense can be.

When the Rockets have their full complement of players, they likely will become a much more legitimate threat in the Western Conference. Until the Rockets can solve their lead guard issues, they'll lean on their length and athleticism to cause problems for their opposition.