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Rockets’ Ime Udoka still evaluating fifth starter spot after Fred VanVleet injury
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- Rockets’ Ime Udoka still evaluating fifth starter spot after Fred VanVleet injury
The post Rockets' Ime Udoka still evaluating fifth starter spot after Fred VanVleet injury appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Houston Rockets have some questions to answer as the team is getting ramped up for the season. With the injury to Fred VanVleet , the one question is what the Rockets will do at the point guard position, and it seems like they could have a few options at their disposal.
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Head coach Ime Udoka was asked about the starting lineup and if it will be more determined by matchups or if there will be a more consistent lineup.
"It could be. Something we looked at, regardless of before Fred was [injured]. If it was something that made sense for us, but at the same time, continuity is good, and keeping guys confident and not second-guessing," Udoka said via Lachard Binkley of Sports Illustrated. "It takes some maturity if you want to do that kind of rotational lineup, and some things are beneficial to start that.
"At the same time, guys are taking some steps and showed a lot of progress and worked extremely hard, so you want to reward that, and we'll see what we get to. For the most part we have four guys penciled in and we'll figure out what to with the fifth."
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The Rockets have the versatility on their roster to do some different things with their lineup, and it'll be interesting to see what Udoka plans on doing when the season starts.
What will the Rockets do at point guard this season?
VanVleet was set to be an important part of the Rockets' success this season, but with him most likely out for the year, other players will have to step up in his absence. One of the first players to come to mind is Amen Thompson , who made a big jump in his second year in the league last season. It's uncertain if Thompson will be put into a playmaking role, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he had the ball more in his hands this season.
Another player who will have to step up is Reed Sheppard , who didn't play much in his rookie season last year. Sheppard could see a lot of minutes this season in a bench role or as a starter. Alperen Sengun has shown the ability to be a playmaker, and he may have the ball in his hands in the halfcourt a lot.
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Scoring the ball shouldn't be too much of an issue for the Rockets, as Kevin Durant will do most of that work.
Related: 3 Kevin Durant bold predictions for 2025-26 Rockets season
Related: Rockets' Dorian Finney-Smith likely to miss start of season with ankle injury
