D'Antoni Happy With Rockets Wing Rotation After Opening Homestand

Houston's head coach has frequently used P.J. Tucker at center in lineups alongside Russell Westbrook and Danuel House

Mike D'Antoni didn't hesitate to go small in the Rockets' opening homestand. Houston's head coach played starting center Clint Capela just 28.7 minutes per game in the season's first three contests, a dip from his 33.6 mark last season. Backup center Tyson Chandler has logged less than 10 minutes combined in the last two games, leaving plenty of time for P.J. Tucker to play as a small-ball five. 

Tucker-at-center lineups have been a signature for Houston to start the season, with D'Antoni often pairing Tucker with Russell Westbrook and Danuel House to create dynamic second units. Perhaps the small-ball reliance has been a product of Houston's early matchups, though D'Antoni continued to embrace Tucker at the five on Tuesday.

"P.J. has always been super important to what we do," D'Antoni said. "Even if he doesn't make a shot he's really important. Then you add him shooting the ball like he is, it doesn't surprise me that the stats are strong when he's on the floor." 

Tucker logged sizable minutes at the five in 2018-19, though his appearances were largely necessitated by to a weak frontcourt rotation. The Rockets were solid with Tucker playing center–and often explosive offensively–but they bled rebounds and struggled to contain the paint. Lineups with Tucker at the five more stable this season, especially on the defensive end.

Westbrook is a key catalyst for the improvement. Chris Paul was an impactful defender with the Rockets, though his impact was often limited to slowing down an opposing point guard. Westbrook is a menace all over the floor. His 10-plus rebounds per game in each of the last four seasons is the product of some inflation, but Westbrook remains an elite rebounding guard nonetheless. His speed and athleticism swung the game in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma City on Monday. His impact as a non-scorer in nearly unmatched among the league's point guards.

"With [Westbrook], the most effective he can be is when he's grabbing rebounds, playing at a high pace," Austin Rivers said. "He's a willing passer, if you run with him he'll find you."

Danuel House has been a major beneficiary of Westbrook's pace, sliding into his starting forward spot with relative ease through three games. House made just one of eight threes on Monday, though the shaky result shouldn't obscure his solid offensive fit through three games. He is an impressive athlete on the wing, and his speed is an advantage in lineups with Westbrook. House is often the first man down the floor, ready for a Westbrook pass at the three-point line. House has shown flashes of solid play off the bounce, as well. He's aggressive attacking closeouts, and he has been in control when approaching the paint. The dime below to Capela is an impressive step for the third-year swingman. 

I forgot how much I loved Danuel House's game. This passing he has displayed, however, I am not sure I have seen. pic.twitter.com/GbDAtTlApK

— Justin Jett (@JustinJett_) October 25, 2019

House is additionally versatile defender who can body larger wings, though the more impressive development is his work on smaller point guards. House guarded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder in spurts on Monday. He could spend time guarding Steph Curry in Houston's next home game on Nov. 6. 

"I think he can [guard point guards], there's no reason why he can't do it," D'Antoni said. "He's very athletic, He's like Russ out there. So I envision him guarding a lot of point guards."

Houston approaches its first road trip of the year of the season at 2–1 despite a shaky defensive start to the season. The Rockets are No. 24 in defensive rating before Wednesday's game at Washington, with their struggles thus far largely attributed to "effort", or lack thereof, per D'Antoni. The second half against Oklahoma City was an encouraging sign on Monday, with Westbrook and Tucker leading the defensive charge in the third quarter. Perhaps we'll continue to see more of the Rockets' wing-heavy second unit than originally assumed as the season rolls into November.