Can the Rockets win Game 6 without Chris Paul?

After spearheading the Rockets wins in Games 4 and 5, Chris Paul has strained his hamstring and won’t be able to play in Game 6.

According to Shams Charania, Chris Paul has officially been ruled out of Game 6 on Saturday. This would be worrisome for the Rockets in any circumstance, but even more so right now. In Game 4, he absolutely dominated the fourth quarter, dictating the Rockets offense. Then in Game 5, he hit tough shot after tough shot to help the Rockets counter the Warriors third quarter offense. He’s been critical to this team as a scorer and leader.

Then, there are the struggles of James Harden. He has missed almost 20 straight 3-point attempts in this series. Combine this with the six turnovers he had last night, and he hasn’t been the dominant force he was during the regular season. He just doesn’t look like himself. So, if the Rockets want to win Game 6, they’re going to need Harden to take over at times. He has to rediscover his regular season form and fast.

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However, there is a reason optimism for the Rockets. They have been playing outstanding defense the last two games. in Game 4, they held the Warriors to just 14 assists and in Game 5 forced 16 turnovers. An uptick in minutes for P.J. Tucker and his gritty defense has helped to contribute to this. However, improved team effort and ability to fill the passing lanes has made a difference. Then, Eric Gordon’s impressive offensive performances in Games 4 and 5, 19 points per game, should hopefully continue as he can help shoulder the offensive load.

So, if the Rockets are able to continue their defensive effort and Eric Gordon continues to score, they should be able to compete without Paul. However, there is no doubt that Chris Paul’s absence will hurt the Rockets in Game 6, even if it is just because they lose a leader.