Key to victory: dominate paint, protect the ball, and leverage gravity. Houston must survive Philadelphia's opening surge to control the game's tempo.
If the Rockets are going to win in Philadelphia, the first six minutes will decide exactly how hard they have to work for it.
1. Stay vertical in the paint.
Everything starts with Alperen Şengün. Without Steven Adams available, Şengün has to anchor the interior without gifting early fouls. The goal isn’t shutting down Joel Embiid outright. It’s making every touch costly and staying on the floor.
2. Protect the ball like it’s precious- because it is.
Philadelphia thrives on live-ball turnovers. If Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard get Houston into its sets cleanly, the Rockets can control pace instead of chasing it.
3. Let Kevin Durant bend the defense first.
Houston doesn’t need early shot-making from Kevin Durant- they need his gravity. If the ball moves after the defense reacts to him, the floor opens naturally.
4. Win the first rebounding battle.
Misses are coming. That’s fine. What can’t happen is one-and-done possessions. Extra chances keep the game grounded and prevent Philadelphia from running.
5. Don’t speed it up to fix it.
If the offense stalls, resist the urge to rush. Houston has been at its best lately when they let the game breathe and trust their structure.
If Houston clears that opening stretch without handing over early momentum, the game slows, rotations settle, and the Rockets get to play their brand instead of chasing Philly’s tempo all night.
Survive the first six minutes. If they do that, the rest becomes playable.