In-depth analysis: The Rockets defeated the Warriors, rely on this tactic!

In a focus match in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the Rockets defeated the Warriors 115-107 away, equalizing the series to 3-3. The game process was ups and downs, and the Rockets' tactical use was exquisite and became the key factor for the team's victory.

1. A strong attack on the two towers, destroying the Warriors' inside defense line

Facing the small lineup that the Warriors are good at, Rockets coach Uduka boldly changed the formation and used the double tower combination of Shin Kyung and Adams. This tactical arrangement directly hits the Warriors' inside defense weakness. Shen Jing was like a big killer in the inside, scoring 21 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in the whole game. When he played singles at low post, he relied on his flexible steps and soft touch, Warriors inside players such as Zhu Meng Green were unable to defend and scored easily many times. When encountering double-teams, Shin Kyung has excellent support and can pass the ball in time, creating open shots for his teammates.

Adams also played a huge role in the inside. He scored 17 points in the game, used his strong body many times to deal a heavy blow to the Warriors in rebounding and second offense. The Rockets' double towers made the Warriors' inside defense shattered. The Rockets' inside scores were significantly ahead in the whole game, and the rebounding advantage was 46-42. This absolute advantage of the inside not only limits the Warriors' breakthrough, but also forces the Warriors to shrink their defense line on the defensive end, thus creating a lot of three-point shooting space for Rockets outside players.

2. Cooperation of pick-and-roll, Van Vliot revitalizes the overall game

Van Vliot is undoubtedly the key man of the Rockets in this game. He scored 29 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists in the whole game, and made 6 of 9 three-pointers, especially at the critical moment in the final quarter, he made 4 three-pointers in a single quarter, scoring 12 points, and extinguished the Warriors' hope of counterattack with a cold-blooded three-pointer. Van Vreet and Shin Kyung's high-pin pick-and-roll cooperation can be called the "nuclear weapon" of the Rockets' offense. Through pick-and-roll, Van Vreet was able to use Shin Kyung's cover to easily get the opportunity to shoot in the outside area, and his excellent three-point shooting percentage made the Warriors dare not easily double-team Shin Kyung.

At the same time, Van Vreet also has excellent breakthrough ability. When he breaks through, he can attract the defense of many Warriors players, thereby creating scoring opportunities for teammates who are in open positions. His calm performance on the court and his big heart at critical moments not only stabilized the Rockets' morale, but also made the Warriors' defense lose one's attention, greatly improving the Rockets' offensive efficiency.

3. Teamwork, the offensive wave that blossomed from multiple points

The Rockets brought the concept of team basketball to the extreme in this game. The team sent 23 assists, showing excellent cooperation and tactical execution. In addition to the two core players, Van Vreet and Shin Kyung, the Rockets' role players also performed well. Ethan was very aggressive on the defensive end and successfully interfered with the Warriors' players' shooting many times, injecting strong vitality into the Rockets' defense; Amen Thompson was active in defending Curry, causing considerable trouble for Curry's offense, and he could also score through empty cuts, fast breaks and other methods on the offensive end.

The Rockets have a bright offensive rhythm, smooth ball transfer, and a tacit understanding of running and cooperation between the players. They constantly search for loopholes in the Warriors' defense through unball running and passing and cutting, leaving the Warriors' defensive system exhausted. This multi-point offensive method prevents the Warriors from focusing on defense against a certain player, greatly improving the Rockets' offensive efficiency and allowing the team to maintain strong attack power when facing the Warriors' defense.

4. BOX-1 tactics, special care for Curry

On the defensive end, the Rockets used the BOX-1 tactics against Curry, preparing a set of "special treatment" for this historical shooter. The BOX-1 tactic is "one-eye four-couple". The Rockets sent high-armed forward players (such as Jabbarri Smith Jr.) to stick to Curry like a shadow, and the remaining four players shrank in four corners of the penalty area, ready to assist in defense at any time. Judging from the details, the leader’s defense uses his long arms to interfere with Curry’s attack. Even if he is passed, there will be teammates behind him to make up for the defense. As soon as Curry crossed the center line, the defender at the 45-degree angle would step forward and force him to slow down; once he broke through to the free throw line, the defenders on both sides of the penalty area immediately "closed" and formed a three-man siege. At the same time, the Rockets deliberately let the Warriors out of the least accurate shooter (such as chasing dreams), but once Curry passes the ball, the recent defender will quickly pop out to make up for defense.

In addition, the Rockets further restricted Curry through strategies such as fake replacement of real defense, sideline driving, and physical attrition war. For example, when Curry called a pick-and-roll, the big man who was originally guarding pretended to change defense, but formed a double-player attack with the leader at the moment Curry moved horizontally; he deliberately forced Curry to the sideline, making his passing route longer and increasing the risk of mistakes; every time he died in the fourth quarter, the Rockets would replace him with a new leader, and the wheel battle consumed Curry's physical strength. This series of defensive strategies greatly restricted Curry on the offensive end. Although he scored 29 points in the whole game, he also made many mistakes, and in the critical final quarter, the offensive efficiency decreased significantly.

The Rockets' tactical use in this game is textbook level. They successfully defeated the Warriors through strong inside attack, pick-and-roll cooperation, team offense and targeted defensive strategies, dragging the series into tiebreak. This not only demonstrates the tactical wisdom of the Rockets coaching staff, but also reflects the excellent execution ability of the players. In the upcoming tiebreak battle, whether the Rockets can continue these tactical advantages and how the Warriors will respond has undoubtedly become the focus of fans' most attention.