The Rockets have convinced former defensive coordinator Jeff Bzdelik to un-retire and rejoin the bench, according to The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. He has agreed to a deal for the rest of the season.
Why the Rockets bringing back defensive coordinator Jeff Bzdelik is really important
Bzdelik was the mind behind Houston’s defense last season. Their roster isn’t the same, but now he’s back.
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According to Feigen, Bzdelik’s return is unrelated to the Rockets’ slow start and he had some things to address away from basketball that caused him to step away from the team just before training camp. Feigen also reported Rockets’ owner Tilman Fertitta was “in frequent contact” with Bzdelik to get him back on the coaching staff.
“I’m a Wildcatter. Wildcatters are fearless. You’ll go drill and get a dry hole and you move on to the next one. You keep drilling holes until you run out of money or get rich. The people who have come here decided to take on that mentality, in Texas and in Houston. We’re Texans. We will do whatever it takes to succeed.”
At first glance this is just another addition to a coaching staff that helped guide Houston to the Western Conference Finals last season. But Bzdelik’s re-signing could work wonders for a Rockets team that could use some answers right about now.
Houston’s defense is putrid
The Rockets are 3-5, and many of their problems are on the defensive end. They’re a bottom-10 team in points allowed per 100 possessions, and Houston’s bottom-six in opponent field goal percentage, right behind Cleveland, Phoenix, Dallas, San Antonio, and New Orleans.
Many of Houston’s defensive issues are personnel-based. After all, they lost Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, then replaced them with Carmelo Anthony and James Ennis, who is currently injured.
But Bzdelik was the basketball mind who put Houston’s scheme in place. Houston was considered a superior defensive team because of their versatility and switch-ability. This year, their players have been turnstiles defensively and lack continuity.
This might not fix everything
The Rockets’ improvement was frightening last season because they had the personnel at the forward slots to switch most screens. P.J. Tucker is still in the mix, but he’s the team’s best perimeter defender, and no one else comes close.
Defense isn’t Houston’s only issue. In a league where teams are running up the score beyond 140 points every other night, the Rockets have only eclipsed 120 points once this season and only managed 96 points in their win against Chicago. Something has to give.
Bzdelik’s return might be what the team needs to get back on track. And he couldn’t have returned at a better moment.
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