The Houston Rockets improved as a defensive unit this past season, but the assistant coach who helped guide that improvement won’t be back next season.
According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets let go associate coach Jeff Bzdelik, who was primarily responsible for helping Houston improve defensively in 2018-19.
Jeff Bzdelik, the Rockets associate head coach who guided the defensive improvement last season, was let go today, a person with knowledge of the decision said.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) May 18, 2019
Houston’s defense was, at least by defensive rating, one of the top units in the league after the All-Star break. It still wasn’t good enough to beat the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs, with Stephen Curry carving them up in a decisive Game 6 without Kevin Durant.
Ownership has vowed to do anything they possibly can to improve next season. Perhaps they believe they can do better than Bzdelik when it comes to coaching up the team’s defense.
