Rockets vs. Spurs: What to watch in preseason opener

The game is meaningless, as most coaches prefer less than a week into the preseason. But when the Rockets host the Spurs on Sunday in the first preseason game for both, it is significant for other reasons.

As Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan said after his first practice, “I think it will really hit that I am in the NBA when the first game comes up.”

He might have meant the regular-season opener, but Sunday’s first preseason game might do. And for rebuilding teams, every chance to be pushed and tested in an NBA setting can be valuable, and not just for rookies — Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington Jr. with the Rockets and Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and Sochan with the Spurs.

For coaches and players, the game is a chance to check on progress following five preseason practices. For everyone else, it could be a first look at some of the issues and decisions that will be significantly more important than the game itself.

“It’s definitely cool,” Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. said. “Getting back to the routine, seeing what the young guys are going to be in their first moment, (Sunday) is going to be a good day.

“Play hard and play together — that’s our identity. That’s our motto. As long as we do those things … we’ll be good. I want to see all of us, especially Jabari and Tari, Al (Sengun) coming back from Turkey. I want to see Usman (Garuba.) I’m excited for all of us. It’s time to see what it’s about now.”

There are several specific areas that are worth watching.

Alperen Sengun, the starting center

The Rockets preseason schedule offers a variety of tests of Sengun’s promotion, including games against Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Indiana’s Myles Turner.

Jakob Poeltl, described by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich as his lone sure starter, gave the Rockets all kinds of trouble last season, averaging 17.3 points on 69.8 percent shooting and 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots. He was fifth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game.

“It’s an opportunity for (Sengun) to play against somebody else, but it’s going to be as nightly battle,” Silas said. “Poeltl is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league. He plays so well in the paint for them and has know-how and has been in their system for a long time. So, it’ll be a good challenge for Al-P.

“I’m not going to say we’ll get a good feel for where he’s at because it’s only one game. It’s just one step.”

For starters

The first game might not give too great a clue about some of the rotation decisions. Forward Jae’Sean Tate is likely out with a sore left ankle. If Smith moves into the starting lineup, either Tate or Eric Gordon could be the fifth starter along with Sengun, Jalen Green and Porter.

Bringing Tate off the bench would allow him to check in for Smith at power forward and then stay in the game when Smith returns to play center in a small-ball lineup. But bringing Gordon off the bench would provide the range shooting and spacing the Rockets would want for the second unit with Josh Christopher at a guard spot and if Tari Eason plays off the bench.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas said he has a good idea about what he’ll choose with the starters but would not share.

“We’re going to explore some of the lineups,” he said. “Had a long conversation with the … staff about lineups, how they fit well together, what their strengths and weaknesses would be and what are things we need to look at as we go through these four preseason games. It’s going to be a very big part of it because … four games isn’t a lot of time to get it solidified.”

Rotation decisions

With just four preseason games, Silas said he will play his regulars and as much in the combinations he envisions in the regular season.

“Still trying to figure out which groups play well together,” Silas said. “Tomorrow gives us a chance to do it against another team which is huge. It’s hard when you’re evaluating both teams at the same time. But when you’re playing against a team, you can really dive into what works well offensively or defensively.

“As training camp goes along, guys get a better feel for what their role is and obviously, we have a new starting lineup, and we have a bunch of new guys.”

The Rockets might need to determine whether to go with one of their reserve point guards — Daishen Nix or Washington — or with a backcourt with others handling the ball. They could be weighing whether to go small at backup center, with Smith, K.J. Martin or Garuba, or with the 7-4 Boban Marjanovic.

“Everybody on this team is super interchangeable,” Christopher said. “To see certain lineups and ways to win ballgames will be important.”

Systems and schemes

The Rockets have made adjustments to schemes, using Sengun more in the low post and in the dunker’s spot than Christian Wood was last season, and helping and rotating more offensively.

A game will offer a chance to see how much of that comes naturally, without having to slow down to think about execution, and offer a first glimpse on how the changes might work.

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