Russell Westbrook answered my question before he answered my question.
Two nights after overcoming a seven-point deficit in the final 45 seconds of the fourth quarter to beat the Dallas Mavericks in overtime the Rockets closed out a 120-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a 16-4 run in the game's final three minutes. Those two finishes led to the following question during Westbrook's postgame zoom call.
"With the style and pace that you guys are playing at do you feel like you've worn these two teams down this weekend?"
Westbrook, with a blue mask pulled down so that it just covered his lower lip, broke out a big smile and nodded three times before saying a word.
"I think so," Westbrook said. "Throughout a game it's tough to sustain, honestly, how we play. We're used to playing that way. It's something that teams aren't used to, and I think it goes to our advantage."
In winning their first two games in Orlando the Rockets have played at a faster pace than they did before the NBA season was shutdown in March. They were playing at a 103.72 possession pace per 48 minutes, fourth most in the NBA back then, but so far at Disney World that number is just shy of 107, and Westbrook says he's been able to sense the Bucks and Mavs tire down the stretch.
"I definitely feel it. I'm always looking at other guys and seeing when they’re trying to catch their breath, if they're in tune to what's going on. It definitely wears them down.”
The last sentence of Westbrook's statement shows the Rockets style of play doesn't just impact their opponents physically, but mentally as well. The Mavericks were second in the NBA with a 12.7 percent turnover rate, but against the Rockets on Friday, that number shot up to 16.8. That pales in comparison to the Bucks who gave the ball away on 21.7 percent of their possessions against the Rockets Sunday, up from 14.2 percent the rest of the season.
Sunday's win vaulted the Rockets into a fourth place tie in the Western Conference with the Utah Jazz, just one game back of the Denver Nuggets for third. They'll take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.