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Kevin McHale challenged James Harden and the rest of the Houston Rockets to be more aggressive in tonight’s Game 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers. That challenge was clearly accepted. Harden rediscovered himself in a dominant second quarter and the Rockets were able to stave off elimination. They repeatedly attacked the basket and made a concerted effort to get the ball in the paint. The Clippers had no answer. DeAndre Jordan spent almost the entire first half on the sideline in foul trouble and the Rockets took full advantage. The Clippers offered little resistance, and effort, on defense, but the Rockets deserve the majority of the credit for their aggressive mentality.
The Rockets are at their best when Harden is in attack mode. He sets the precedent that the rest of the team will follow. Dwight Howard had a fantastic performance as well last night, but it all starts with Harden. He is one of the game’s best players at penetrating. Not only will he get himself to the free throw line, but he’s just as willing to pass to the open man. When Harden, or any player, attacks, it opens things up for Howard. In turn, he’ll crash the basket and instantly become more productive with offensive rebounds and put-back slams. This is how the Rockets must approach each game moving forward, from the inside out. Attack the rim early on and the 3-pointers will open up later.
The Rockets also turned up their intensity on defense. An average defensive team at best, Houston made up for it with their effort. They got their hands in passing lanes, sped the Clippers’ offense up at times and forced them into a lot of jump shots and 3-point attempts. Most importantly, they stayed away from that stupid hack-a-Jordan tactic for a majority of the game. It prevents them from getting in any type of rhythm and makes the game hard to watch at times.
Despite a dominant and inspiring Game 5 performance, the Rockets haven’t accomplished anything. It’s very easy to turn up the intensity and play with more effort in an elimination game in front of the home crowd. The big challenge awaits in Game 6 in Los Angeles. The Rockets can expect a much effort from the Clippers on their home floor. Can the Rockets match their intensity and effort from Game 5? Will they be more aggressive than the Clippers on their home floor? The answers to both of these questions must be yes if Houston wants to host a Game 7.
Derek McVay is a Boston Celtics beat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mcvay34, or add him to your network on Google.
