5 consecutive games of 18-for-18 sluggishness, Durant couldn t break through the double-team, the Rockets made a mistake, Sheppard scored 12 points without the ball

The Rockets started low and went high this season. After a losing streak, they ushered in 4 consecutive wins. If the goal is just to enter the playoffs, with the team's current strength, it can only rely on the players' personal abilities. But if they want to compete for the championship, they must make up for the shortcomings of the first position. In the game against the Grizzlies, Adams was absent due to injury, Jabari Smith returned from injury, and the Rockets' starting lineup returned to its original form. In the opening stage, the team's offense was relatively reasonable, with a high shooting percentage, and it used defense to limit Morant's performance and had an advantage in rebounding.

Amen Thompson performed well in the first quarter, not only scoring 10 points, but also scoring three-pointers for the third consecutive game. In his first 10 outside shots this season, none of them hit. In recent games, his three-pointers are no longer just for show, making Amen Thompson's offense more threatening. Playing the one position, he lacks organizational skills, but as long as he runs and plays, Amen Thompson's advantages at the one position are fully demonstrated, completely crushing the Grizzlies' All-Star guards on both offense and defense. Backup guard Shepard had less of the ball.

Because Shepard was the third overall pick last year, Uduka gave him a lot of fault tolerance due to this status. Directly abandoning it is equivalent to a waste of a draft pick, but Shepard's personal ability is incompatible with the Rockets. After VanVleet was injured, the Rockets hoped that he could improve quickly, but he was not ready yet. His shooting, dribbling and offense organization were completely inconsistent with his teammates, so he was rushed to the shelf. Uduka has changed his use of Sheppard in this game, no longer letting him hold the ball and organize offense.

After coming off the bench, the players in the offensive round were basically out of his hands, allowing Shen Jing and Durant to launch the offense, which reduced Sheppard's dribbling, which was equivalent to letting him play the second position as an off-ball shooter. Uduka's changes like this are to maximize his strengths and avoid weaknesses. Shepard scored 5 points on 2-for-2 in the first half, without assists or rebounds. He has played 6 games in the regular season. The Rockets' use of Shepard has also been changing, maximizing his offensive ability. He is not the answer to the No. 1 position.

Durant, who has a poor touch, is not very aggressive. He made 1 of 3 in the third quarter and only scored 2 points. The other Rockets players were in good offensive form. Durant also struggled in this quarter, which is expected to become his normal situation in the team. After all, he is a 38-year-old veteran and cannot go all out in every game and play for more than 35 minutes. The Rockets' opponent's defensive strategy was to double-team Durant, but he couldn't break the defense. Uduka's on-the-spot changes were timely, and Durant was put on standby on the bench at the end of the quarter.

Durant made 5 of 18 shots in this game and only scored 11 points. His shooting rate was a season low. He has been down for two consecutive games. He needs to find his form as soon as possible. The trade of Jalen Green and Dillon to Durant in the offseason is debatable. It was a mistake to bet on a veteran, and you need to bear the risk of his sudden decline. After Shepard became an off-ball shooter, he gave full play to his scoring ability, scoring 12 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist. As long as he is not allowed to dribble, Shepard is worthy of a rotation position. The five-game winning streak is just the beginning, the Rockets need to activate Durant.