Houston Rockets center DeMarcus Cousins (15) is helped up after crashing into a wall off court during the second half of an NBA basketball game at Toyota Center, in Houston, Saturday, Feb. 6.
Karen Warren/Staff photographerBeyond seeking to make up for the scoring and defense lost with center Christian Wood out for several weeks, the Rockets will have to adjust to the differences with Wood effective in pick-and-roll and DeMarcus Cousins more often used in pick-and-pop.
“You just go to know your personnel. It’s two different guys. It’s the game of basketball, knowing your guys and knowing where your guys like the ball and what type of position they like to be in. That’s my job, to make the game easier for him and put them in the right positions to be successful.”
Cousins had 12 points and 11 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season, on Saturday against the Spurs. Taking 55.2 percent of his shots from beyond the 3-point line, Cousins is averaging 14.6 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a starter.
“It’s going to be hard to replicate all that Christian does on both ends of the floor,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “He has become a good defender where we can blitz some in pick-and-rolls, switch some. Then, his ability to score without a play call makes him super valuable. To replicate that is going to be super hard. We’re going to have to play a little bit faster, hopefully.
“We’re going to use Cuz in the same way, using him to draw his defender away from the hoop and allow us to drive the ball into the paint, take advantage of his shooting ability, his pick-and-pops, and then his passing ability, he is a very good passer from the high post. We’re going to take advantage of that and let him make reads, let him make decisions.
“We’re going to have to do our best to rally together and make it … good without Christian on the floor.”
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February 08, 2021 at 02:37AM
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Rockets adjust to Christian Wood’s injury, absence - Houston Chronicle
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