3.08 million yuan basic salary! Find the best defensive player, Stone analyzes thoroughly, the Rockets are not afraid of Curry

Rockets showed strong defensive strength last season, ranking fifth in the league in the regular season defensive efficiency. This result was achieved when Jaylen Green dragged down the overall defense. Data shows that the two players with the Rockets' worst defensive efficiency are Shepard and Green, with Green second to last and Shepard first to last. Shepard's defensive problems mainly stem from insufficient confrontation, but his defensive awareness is still acceptable, and he is expected to improve rapidly by enhancing his core strength. Jaylen Green's defensive shortcomings come more from awareness issues and are difficult to make up for through short-term training.

Fortunately, the Rockets traded Green for Durant, which was a clever operation. It not only made up for the team's lack of offensive firepower, but also significantly improved their overall strength on both offense and defense. Last season, the Rockets' offensive efficiency was only ranked in the middle of the league, and the problem of insufficient firepower was particularly obvious at critical moments. As the top scorer in the league, Durant has unsolved singles and key ball handling capabilities. His joining is expected to improve the Rockets' offensive efficiency to the top ten in the league. At the same time, Durant's defensive ability should not be underestimated. His height of 2.11 meters and his arm span of 2.25 meters enable him to form a strong defensive deterrent force at the front line. Whether it is single defense or auxiliary defense, Durant can add stability to the Rockets' defensive system.

So the Rockets' defensive system became even more terrifying after Durant joined. In addition to Durant, the team also introduced many defensive players through offseason reinforcements, including Dorian Finney-Smith (nicknamed "Electric Fan"), Capela and Josh Okogie. The defensive ability of these players has created a lineup that is both offensive and defensive for the Rockets, and the Rockets are even expected to be the first in defense next season. When Finney Smith played for the Lakers last season, facing the drag of the two defensive weaknesses of Doncic and Reeves, he still showed his top defensive efficiency and became the Lakers' defensive core on the outside.

Capela is known for her rebounding protection and inside defense, and has proved her worth while playing for the Rockets. But among the many new players, Okogi is undoubtedly the most eye-catching one. The 27-year-old young veteran joined the Rockets with a basic salary of 3.08 million yuan and was signed by general manager Stone. Okogi is 1.93 meters tall, but has an amazing 2.13 meters in wingspan, weighs 97 kg, and has both strength and agility, and is the top-notch transverse speed. As a first-round pick in 2018, Okogi's performance on the defensive end was impressive, especially against top defenders, who was almost one of the toughest defenders in the league.

Okogie showed dominant defensive ability against Harden and Curry. Facing Harden, he is like a "net of heaven and earth", and can even limit Harden's three-pointer step back at his peak. His physical confrontation and rapid horizontal movement made it difficult for the opponent to get rid of, especially in the game against the Warriors, Okogie's defense put pressure on Curry. Data shows that Okogi's three-point shooting percentage soared from 30% to 40% when facing the Warriors, showing the trait of "strength when facing the strong". Fans even joked that Curry's dreams were all "Cogi" (homophony Okogi), which shows his restrictive effect on Curry. During his last season with the Suns and Hornets, Okogi averaged 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 44.1% from the field and 34.8% from three-point shooting percentage. In the 25 games of the Suns, he averaged only 14 minutes per game, but he was able to efficiently contribute 6 points, shooting 49% from the field and 39% from the three-point shooting percentage. Although his three-point shooting still needs to be improved, Okogi's defensive ability is enough to become the cornerstone of the Rockets' outside defense. Compared to Dillon, Okogie is better in strength and confrontation, and can even defend top strikers like Muss. If Okogi can further improve the stability of three-pointers under the Rockets system, he is expected to become a player with both offense and defense similar to Dortmund (Thunder defender). The Rockets' defensive system has taken shape under the training of Uduka, and the addition of new players has made this system more perfect. Amen and Ethan have shown great pressure on Harden's defense last season. Now, with Okogie, the Rockets' outside defense is almost impeccable. Facing the Clippers, Harden's offense will face greater challenges, and the Rockets' defensive strategy will force other Clippers players to stand up and score. Against the Warriors, Okogi's existence makes the Rockets no longer afraid of Curry's three-point threat. Uduka said in an interview that the Rockets' starting fifth man has not yet been determined, and Smith, Finney Smith, Ethan and Okogi all have the opportunity to compete. This competition reflects the terrifying depth of the Rockets' lineup, and the choices on the defensive end are particularly rich.

And Okogi's arrival not only improved the defensive hardness, but also injected vitality into the Rockets' fast break and conversion offense. His aggressiveness and defense switching ability are perfectly in line with Uduka's tactical philosophy. Stone said in the interview: "Okoji's defensive ability excites us, and his youth and experience are a perfect balance. He is extremely aggressive in both position guards and conversion offenses, and Uduka likes such players very much."

It can be said that Okoji's low salary and high energy attributes give the Rockets an advantage in lineup construction. For Durant, the Rockets provide an excellent stage to achieve personal honors. He doesn't have to carry the team alone like he did when he was in the Suns or the Nets, just play it at a critical moment.