The name Udoka finds the right formula by thinking small

The Brooklyn Nets were just what the doctor ordered Houston Rocketsas the Rockets picked up their much-needed first win of the season in Monday’s home opener, 137-109.

The Rockets were 15.5-point favorites against an already 0-4 Brooklyn team that had surrendered the most points in four games in franchise history. This was as close as you’ll find in the NBA.

Still, the performance was notable for another reason: The Rockets changed their starting lineup for the first time — and it paid off.

Despite that relying on a double-large configuration for much of the last nine months, it’s actually been the switch to a more traditional starting five that’s fueled the Rockets, knocking them out of contention. Houston’s 137 points were the eighth-highest total during Udoka’s tenure.

Udoka opted to insert 6’4″ Josh Okogie into the starting lineup for the first time, replacing 6’11” Steven Adams. And while Okogie scored just 10 of his points, his presence opened up the floor and created better opportunities for his teammates.

Although a small sample size, the Rockets entered Monday’s game last in the league in pace and 26th in assist rate — assisting on just half of their field goals. Two metrics that Houston would like to see improve greatly and the new lineup delivered.

With Okogie-Adams subbed in, it allowed the Rockets to push the pace, as they also assisted on 33 of 49 field goals.

Furthermore, it also opened up opportunities for key contributors like Reed Shepard and Tarry Eason, who had their best performances of the young season. Eason, who struggled out of the gate this year, posted his first career 20-5-5 game on 8-for-12 shooting off the bench. Meanwhile, Shepard looked like the dynamic point guard the Rockets have been waiting for since selecting him third overall last year, posting 15 points and eight assists while also knocking down 3-of-7 3-pointers.

Those two will need to play a vital role off the bench for this Rockets team to live up to its expectations this season. Amen Thompson also looked more natural in his newfound point guard position, allowing him to dish out eight assists while the offense flowed at a far greater pace.

Whether this becomes a more consistent lineup or just a situational wrinkle remains to be seen. But the irony is clear: Houston doubled down on size (pun intended) in the offseason — re-signed Steven Adams and made him a normal starter, brought back Clint Capela for even more size, even added Dorian Finney-Smith over a second ball-handler. Yet their best performance came with a smaller, more conventional line-up. Against the Nets, though.

It’s the same problem former Rockets head coach Kevin McHale ran into in 2013, when he paired No. 7 Omer Asik alongside 6’10” Dwight Howard in the starting lineup. McHale said he still wants to play up-tempo despite that lineup, something that proved challenging with two big men on the floor.

After a slow 4-3 start and three straight games under 100 points, McHale decided to remove Asik from the starting lineup. Asik made seven more starts by the end of the season, but never again alongside Howard. The Rockets won 54 games that season, including eight of their first 10 after trading Asik for the more athletic Terrence Jones. Sound familiar?

It would be rash to abandon the offseason plan after just three games and a matchup with the slumping Nets. But it will be interesting to see how Udoka juggles the lineup throughout the year in an attempt to get the best of both worlds. As the saying goes, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.