NBA 2018-19: Jazz throttle the Rockets - 3 Key Talking Points

#2 Rockets defense is very fragile

Houston Rockets need to start showing up

When the season started everyone expected the Rockets to take a step back in their defense after losing the services of Trevor Ariza and Lukk Mbah a Moute. But, not to the extent where they give up so many points on a nightly basis and that too against average offenses like that New Orleans or the Jazz.

At the beginning, it was thought that Carmelo Anthony is the reason behind this. But now that Anthony is gone, no real improvement seems to be visible in the Rocket's defense. They give up open looks, easy threes and don't show enough effort in transition defense.

More than offense, it was the defense that took Rockets so deep last year. But they are just refusing to show up this year which is causing all the struggles. They need to buckle up things fast because the West is as deep as ever this year.