Ime Udoka remains confident in the Houston Rockets' unconventional offensive approach despite recent struggles, believing the formula centered around Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun can produce sustainable success. The Rockets rank third in the NBA in offensive rating (118.9) while utilizing a by-committee approach at point guard following Fred VanVleet's season-ending knee injury.

"What we do is hunt quality shots," Udoka said before a late tipoff against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 16. "Non-conventionally is the way we're doing it this year as far as not having a true point guard out there, like a setup guy like Fred."

Udoka explained that Durant and Sengun draw defensive attention, creating open looks for teammates. When opponents double-team either player, the Rockets dominate on the glass and capitalize on the numerical advantage created by scrambling defenses.

The approach has produced inconsistent results. Houston closed out the worst seven-game stretch of 3-point shooting in NBA history (58 of 236; minimum 200 attempts) according to ESPN Research, losing five games in seven outings. Durant made 7 of 23 from the field in a 20-point loss to defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on January 15.

"I feel like I'm missing good shots to be honest," Durant said after the loss. "My shotmaking is supposed to inspire the whole group."

Less than 24 hours later, Durant and Sengun validated Udoka's philosophy by combining to score or assist on 77 points in a 110-105 victory over Minnesota. The 37-year-old Durant racked up a season-high 39 points on 11 of 18 from the field and 6 of 8 from 3-point range. Sengun contributed 25 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out.

Houston's size defines its identity. The Rockets' most utilized lineup—Durant, Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Josh Okogie and Amen Thompson—averages nearly 6-foot-9. Their double-big lineup features four players standing 6-11, with the 6-7 Thompson running point.

"We saw something that worked last year and kind of tripled down, quadrupled down on it," Udoka said. "We became a bigger team. We're taking advantage of our size and the offensive rebounding that some of our guys naturally do. Amen's great at it, Tari's great at it, Steven's great at it. Jabari and some of those guys have grown into it, Alpi as well. So, it became a thing last year. But we've doubled down on it this year."

Udoka and the Rockets coaching staff experimented all last season playing big lineups and finished the 2024-25 campaign leading the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (14.6). Houston's size allowed it to crash the offensive glass with ferocity, yielding more second-chance points. The Rockets led that statistical category last season (18.1) on the way to a 52-30 record.

The Rockets acquired Durant in July via the largest trade in NBA history involving seven teams. Houston consummated the deal after watching Jalen Green struggle as the offensive focal point during a seven-game playoff loss to Golden State. Outside of scoring 38 points in a Game 2 victory, Green averaged 9.2 points on 31.1 percent shooting in the other six contests.

"When we need a bucket, there's not a lot of thinking," guard Amen Thompson said. "We just try to get KD the ball. You want to double Alpi and leave KD open? Want to double KD and leave me, Jabari and Reed on the backside roaming? He's an extra threat for sure."

Houston general manager Rafael Stone acknowledged the need to upgrade despite satisfaction with last season's roster. "Even if you're really happy with your team, which we were, it's still my job to be looking at potential opportunities," Stone said. "Because unless you're a champ, unless you literally just won the championship, you need to be better."

Houston ranks 29th in the NBA in 3-point attempts (30.7 per game) but sixth in 3-point percentage (37.0). The Rockets score 45.6 percent of their points in the paint, good for seventh in the league. Just 29.1 percent of Houston's scoring comes from the 3-point line.

The formula faces a new challenge with backup center Steven Adams suffering what Udoka called "a severely sprained ankle" against New Orleans. Adams is out indefinitely, forcing Clint Capela to take over as the primary backup behind Sengun. Smith will also likely see time at center until Adams returns.

Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy, who worked alongside Udoka in San Antonio and Boston, sees a team built in his former colleague's image. Hardy believes the unconventional scheme can produce sustained success if coupled with tactical adjustments during playoff series.

"I don't think you could bail on your team's identity at a certain point," Hardy said. "There are tactical elements in any playoff series that have to be navigated, but I think the overall personality of your team is something you want to establish and try to maintain as much as possible."