PLAY OR PASS?
Joel Blank: Solving the problem of how much the Rockets starters should play down the stretch
Apr 2, 2018, 5:54 am
Mike D'Antoni has to decide how much to play Chris Paul down the stretch. Rockets.com
To play, or not to play, that is the question.
Your 2017-18 Houston Rockets have boldly gone where no Rockets regular season team has ever gone before. With the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference wrapped up, they saw it upon themselves to do one better and have the best record in the entire NBA. If that wasn't enough, on an individual level, they have also made it a foregone conclusion that James Harden will be the league MVP. Teammate Clint Capela should be the Most Improved player and Mike D'Antoni has a legitimate shot at winning his second straight Coach of the Year honor.
With only five games to play in the regular season and nothing to play for, the team is faced with a catch-22. With all the injuries league wide, the smart thing to do would be to rest their starters and key rotational players to make sure that they are healthy and as close to a 100% as they can be heading into the post season. However, After to the loss to the Spurs on Sunday, Mike D'Antoni said the team needs to play everyone in the rotation in order to keep their rhythm and chemistry heading towards the playoffs. There is a pretty solid argument to be made for both sides of this dilemma.
All it takes is one look at the injury report across the NBA right now to make the case that the Rockets should rest James Harden, Chris Paul, and for that matter, every starter and rotational player in the last 5 games of the season. Jimmy Butler's injury in Houston a few weeks ago took a team that was the number 3 seed in the Western Conference and sent them reeling to the point where they are fighting to make sure that they just get in the postseason. Butler had minor knee surgery and there is no way of telling if he will be able to play in the playoffs, and even if he does, how effective he will be? Similarly, Kawhi Leonard is back in New York rehabbing his right quad injury that has kept him out of all but 9 games this season. For more than half the season, San Antonio was able to stay in the top 4 in the Western conference. However, when LaMarcus Aldridge, who has been carrying the team on his shoulders all year, started to experience knee issues .It was too much to overcome and the Spurs also are hanging on for dear life to assure themselves another appearance in the postseason.
In the Eastern conference, injuries to Kyrie Irving and John Wall have huge question marks attached to any hopes of a long playoff run in Boston or D.C.. Kevin Love just recently returned to the Cavaliers and Tristin Thompson is still out, but hopeful for a return before the end of the regular season, All of that along with the total roster overhaul at the All-Star break has made everyone in Cleveland a little uneasy as they try to ride Lebron James to an eighth straight NBA finals appearance. Without Love and Thompson, the odds will be stacked against "the King" and his court of young Cavs. So as you can see, there is a lot of evidence that lends itself to the Rockets resting Harden and CP3 in the final 5 games of the season. Doing so would assure the team that their dynamic duo would be mostly injury free come the “second season” and avoid the huge letdown of losing a key peirce at the most inopportune time.
The argument that supports coach D'Antoni's belief that the guys need to play in order to stay sharp for the playoffs is also an interesting one. Chris Paul has already missed 5 of the team's last 6 games and as good as he is, he needs to play to stay sharp and in rhythm with the rest of his teammates so that they can be as efficient as possible when it counts the most. James Harden has been struggling with his 3-point shooting lately and the coach believes it's because he has rested his star player and with that he has lost some of his rhythm in his shooting stroke. With a team that is predicated on uptempo, fast paced offense, accurate shooting from long range, efficiency on both ends of the floor and avoiding costly turnovers, it would seem as if too much rest could possibly make the Rockets rusty come playoff time. We all know that in the playoffs, everything is magnified and every mistake is that more costly. The wrong play at the wrong time could cost you a series and prevent you from playing for or winning a title, so you better be sharp as well as healthy to have a shot at winning it all.
So what's the answer? What's the recipe for success for the Rockets to remain healthy and sharp at the same time? In my opinion, the answer is two fold. I would play the starters and the key rotational players a maximum of 25 minutes a game. I would keep the rotation the same for the most part until those minutes had been achieved, and I would make sure that the starters were always on the floor with players that they will be playing with in the playoffs. This would allow the team to stay sharp and maintain chemistry with out getting burned out or over extended. Secondly, I would maximize practice time to make sure that the majority of your high intensity,full court game situations were in a controlled environment with your teammates as your competition. This will ensure that you will protect your best players and you won't fall victim to overzealous players and teams playing hyper aggressive as they fight for playoff positioning or to make a statement.
Obviously, there is no perfect scenario and you can't control everything. Injuries are going to happen and there is no way to prevent them 100%. You also can't play tentatively because that can force you to play a different way than you are used to playing, and thus, put you in compromising situations that can actually increase your chances of getting hurt. Hopefully, the Rockets staff and coaches can come up with a plan to get the players some run while making sure they don't get burned out. Regardless, it's a great problem to have, even if it is uncharted territory for Red Nation.
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The 2025 season hasn't gone according to script for the Houston Astros. Injuries, slumps, and a retooled roster have left fans asking whether this version of the Astros is underwhelming—or if, given all the turmoil, they might actually be overachieving.
When Houston dealt Kyle Tucker, a franchise cornerstone, the move raised eyebrows. Tucker was a consistent producer and an anchor in right field. In return, the Astros received infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third baseman now outfielder Cam Smith—players who didn’t bring the same star power but offered versatility and upside.
Paredes has delivered as advertised. He’s brought steady production at the plate and the ability to play a solid third base. While he may not be with the team beyond 2027 if the front office sticks to its recent pattern of letting players walk in free agency, his presence right now is stabilizing an otherwise inconsistent lineup.
Then there’s Cam Smith, who might be the real key to this deal. After a slow start and questions about whether he or Zach Dezenzo was the better option in right field, Smith has surged. Over the past 30 days, he’s hit north of .300 and shown signs of becoming a long-term fixture. The biggest question now is positional: Is he Houston’s future in right field, or could he eventually slide over to third base if/when Paredes departs? That decision will ripple through future roster planning and could define how this trade is remembered.
In the meantime, however, he’s shown flashes of being a quality everyday player. But it’s not uncommon for young hitters to take a step back after an initial surge. The Astros need him to keep proving it, but the potential is unmistakable.
Underwhelming or overachieving?
Elsewhere on the roster, the results are mixed. Players like Jake Meyers and Victor Caratini, who came into the season with modest expectations, have performed admirably. Meanwhile, stars like José Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Díaz have underperformed, leaving the offensive output uneven. Add in the extended absence of Yordan Álvarez and the loss of three-fifths of the starting rotation, and it's fair to say Houston has had more than its share of adversity.
King of the hill
One area where the Astros have arguably found a diamond in the rough is Bryan King. With a 1.52 ERA in 2025, King has passed the eye test as a potential long-term solution in high-leverage relief situations. He’s been more than capable, building on a solid 2.39 ERA in 2024. His performance has solidified his place in the bullpen, and he’s taken on ownership of his role. However, it’s important for the Astros to temper expectations, especially after the lessons learned from the Rafael Montero signing. King looks like the real deal, but he still has a ways to go before being considered a true elite option out of the 'pen.
What should we make of the Alex Bregman quad injury?
Bregman’s injury doesn’t really change the conversation around whether the Astros should have extended him. If anything, it highlights the complexity of roster decisions. Houston could’ve kept Bregman, shifted Paredes to first base, and potentially avoided spending big on Christian Walker. But injuries are part of the game—Yordan Álvarez has missed nearly half the season, and no one’s suggesting the Astros should regret signing him. Kyle Tucker missed significant time last year, too, and he’s about to land a massive contract. Players get hurt. That’s baseball.
Moving forward
While the Astros have struggled with injuries and inconsistent performances, they have managed to remain competitive—perhaps even overachieving given the circumstances. The team's depth, the surprising performances from certain players, and the emergence of promising new talent have allowed them to hold their ground, currently possessing a Wild Card spot in the AL if the season were to end today.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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