3 Reasons Spurs Got Slammed By Rockets

3) Defense?:

• The Spurs are the number one defensive team in the NBA and typically guard the three-point line better than most teams in the league but they came out lackadaisical and passive in Game 1 vs the Rockets. They underestimated the this team, they spent too much time zeroing in on James Harden that they left several shooters open, sparking their downfall at the hands of the three-pointer shot. Spurs gave up 34 points in the first quarter, unacceptable for a Spurs’ squad.

2) Inside Presence?:

• Spurs on paper have the more talented front line but they barely used their assets on the inside. Spurs spent much of the first half trying match the Rockets perimeter game instead of utilizing the two seven footers that they have in the painted area. Aldridge and Gasol played passively on the offensive end, relying on jumpers and threes to try to get them back in the game. They need to focus on scoring down low and good things will happen.

1) Lonely Kawhi:

• Kawhi led the team in points, rebounds, and assists, grabbing almost the same amount of rebounds of Aldridge/Gasol combined (12 to 11). This has been an issue all year long, who is going to help Kawhi on the offensive end? Who is going to at least have some kind of scoring spurt or prowess when the team is down? At Parker’s age, it's unfair for the Spurs to depend on him to drop 20 ppg nightly when you have Aldridge with his 86 million dollar contract looking lost in the playoffs.