The Houston Rockets don’t have a traditional center in their smaller lineups, but that doesn’t mean they lack rim protection.
Newcomer Robert Covington, who happens to be Houston’s tallest player in the starting lineup at 6-foot-8, has blocked 21 shots combined over the team’s last six games — all wins by the Rockets.
Covington’s current streak of three or more blocked shots in six consecutive games is tied for the longest such streak by any Rockets player since Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon had a seven-game streak with three or more blocks in January and February of 1995.
A few months later, those 1994-95 Rockets won their second consecutive NBA Finals. The franchise has yet to win an NBA title since, though the 2019-20 Rockets appear determined to make a strong push.
In 48 games with Minnesota this season, Covington blocked just 0.9 shots per game. But with the Rockets in need of additional rim protection amid the absence of a true center, Covington has boosted his total to an average of 3.5 blocks over his last six games in Houston.
Through nine total games with the Rockets, Covington is averaging 12.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game, and he remains one of the team’s best and most versatile defenders.
Covington registered a defensive rating of 103.6 and a total net rating of 13.1 during his nine February games with the Rockets, with both figures the second-best on the current roster among players to have played in at least 100 game minutes.
Covington has also increased his rebounding from 6.0 per game with the Timberwolves to 7.9 with Houston, headlined by his career-high 16 boards in Saturday’s overtime win at Boston.
With eyes on extending their winning streak to seven games, Covington and the Rockets (39-20) will return to action Monday night with a road game against the New York Knicks (18-42). Tip-off from Madison Square Garden is set for 6:00 p.m. Central time.
