What is the difference compared to the Thunder? Analysis of the Rockets new season s combat power: This gap is temporarily difficult to overcome

Let’s talk about the real thing today - what is the Rockets’ level in the new season? Now that the free market is just open, we just happened to talk: How to rank the starting lineup? Who else is missing? Can you ever have sex with Thunder?

Football forward: Ethan or Smith? Udu has to think carefully about this question

The Rockets are now starting five seats, and four seats are basically decided: Van Vleet + Amen Thompson in the backcourt, Durant + Shin Kyung in the frontcourt. In the remaining small forward positions, Ethan and Smith Jr. competed the most.

I will first reveal my opinion: Ethan is more suitable for starting.

First, the defensive end needs are too clear. Durant is 37 years old. Do you want him to defend the opponent's forward ace alone? This is not a big deal! Adu's best positioning now is to squat in the penalty area and use his height and experience to help defend. If he really wants to go out to defend the opponent's No. 3 position, he has to rely on the small forward to make up for the position. Ethan's single defense, switch defense, and cover-up ability is better than Smith Jr. - when Ethan defended the opponent's No. 3 position last season, his opponent's shooting percentage was 43.2%, while Smith Jr. was 47.8%. To put it bluntly, Ethan is more like a standard small forward and can withstand the periphery defense; Smith Jr. is more like a power forward, and it is more stable to pull into the inside.

Second, Amen + Ethan's "Mad Dog Combination" cannot be dismantled. Last season, the Rockets' substitute defense league first, and these two are the first to bet - Amen's long arm interference and Ethan's horizontal movement and defense, few teams in the league can break the attack of this pair of combinations. Now Amen is starting, Ethan follows, and the tacit understanding continues, and the defensive system is more volatile.

offensive end? Some people say that Smith, Little Tanhualang, has stronger personal abilities. But to be honest, both of the two guys were average without the ball: Smith Jr. last season three-pointers were 35.4%, Ethan was 34.2%, and Ethan was a little more flexible in the open position. The small forward can't touch too many goals in the starting lineup, and the difference in offense is really not that big.

In summary, Ethan's start is more reasonable - defense bottoming out and system adaptation, this is what Uduka wants "3D forward line ". What else does the

Rockets lack? Two holes must be filled: substitute point guard + pure shooter

spread out the Rockets' list, and two shortcomings are eye-catching: there is no stable substitute point guard, no pure shooter.

Let's talk about the substitute point guard first. VanVleet started this season, and the data is good (average of 18.5 points and 5.2 assists per game), but the "Neural Knife" attribute is too obvious - the turnover rate last season is 18.7% (ranked 17th in the top 20 points guards in the league). The key battle is not one or two times. The Rockets need a "rhythm regulator": you don't have to be very strong, but when you can control the ball firmly and figure out the tactics clearly when you can lead Van Jordan.

Brogden is a good choice in the free market. This guy's three-pointers were over 40% in the first two seasons, and he was very good at football. He only made a 28.6% three-point shooting percentage last season in the Wizards' tactics. The Rockets signed him with the middle class, and they bet that he had three-pointers to recover - even if he wasn't sure, his brain was enough. If Brogdon couldn't come, Old Paul would be able to come to "stop the market" at the bottom of his salary, after all, the experience of controlling the market is there.

is a pure shooter again. The Rockets shot 35% from three-pointers last season (18th in the league), and the only accurate Dillon is still gone. Can you imagine a team in the second place in the West District, with few of them being able to throw open three-pointers? This must be supplemented!

Lindy Waters is the target. Last season at the Pistons, his real three-point shooting percentage was as high as 39.5%, and his running without the ball was solid - the Rockets lacked such a pure shooter who "sits at the bottom corner and waits for the ball". Signing him with a basic salary is equivalent to adding a "three-point insurance plug" to the starting lineup.

Thut? It's still one level short of the time being, but some of these four teams compete for the most exciting ones - can the Rockets beat the Thunder?

Tell the truth: It is difficult. The Thunder are now "top" and SGA just won the MVP. Alexander + Holmgren + Jaylen Williams' core is too young and the lineup is the first in the league. Although Durant is under the leadership of the Rockets, the 37-year-old Du and the 25-year-old SGA cannot compare? Duran has to say "I'm stronger now."

Look at the number two and three: The Thunder have Homegren and Jaylen Williams; on the Rockets, Amen is still rising, and Smith Jr. has not yet realized his talent. In terms of depth, the Thunder still has many potential stocks; in addition to Ethan, the Rockets' bench, others have to practice again.

But looking down, the Rockets are at the same level as the Mavericks, the Nuggets and the Timberwolves. Why is the Mavericks in the front line? AD+Irving+Frager’s Big Three, Scorer and Clay – the lineup integrity league is also among the best. The Nuggets rely on Jokic to pull the entire team to the playoff level alone. No matter how bad the teammates are, he can carry it. The Rockets rank third, with Durant + Amen's upper limit high, but their stability is poor. As for the Timberwolves? The combination of Gobert + Edwards is strong in defense but constipated in offense, so it is temporarily behind.

Rockets' new season, like the Cup "potential stock special adjustment" - the starting framework is available, but what is missing is "flavoring agent"; it is still poor compared to the Thunder, but there is no problem with the mid-to-highest teams in the West. If Brogdon + Waters can be signed in the free market this summer, this lineup is definitely worth looking forward to.

After all, Houston and others have waited for too long - this time, it's really fast.