Rockets Head Coach Discusses Potential New Lineup

The Houston Rockets could get creative with their lineups as they look for a postseason berth.

Apr 4, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka coaches against the Golden State Warriors in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are back on the hardwood. With training camp here, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka is tasked to begin figuring out lineups and what combinations work well.

Making the postseason is the goal for the Rockets. Houston has yet to make the postseason since they moved on from James Harden in 2021. To do so, Udoka will have to manage the talents on the roster and put combinations of lineups that will thrive.

Getting creative and rolling out tough-to-stop lineups could give the Rockets a much-needed boost. Could Houston experiment with a double-big lineup now that Steven Adams is healthy? It all rides on Alperen Sengun's ability to shoot the 3-pointer.

"We've talked about it. We've looked at it. When you go double-big you like one of those to be a shooting big," Udoka explained.

Adams won't be the one shooting. He's a big-body center who uses his size and strength to create any advantages he can offensively. Sengun rides more talent, meaning he'd more than likely be the one to have to play outside more.

Can Sengun be that guy, though? To Udoka, the Turkish center has the tools but needs a mentality change to play that role.

"He has the touch and the shot. It's more of a mentality," Udoka explained.

Throughout his career, Sengun hasn't been the most efficient when shooting 3-pointers, but he's also done so on low volume. He's shown some potential in that regard, but the volume is simply too low to have a good enough sample size.

Who knows -- maybe Houston will tinker with some lineups and give the double-big lineup a go. It might not work, and they can go away from it, but as they look to build off a 41-win season a year ago, trying new things certainly doesn't hurt.

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