Rockets 2-center lineup, explained: How Steven Adams, Alperen Sengun duo makes Houston a playoff threat

In the modern NBA, you're more likely to see no centers on the court than two centers on the floor for the same team.

Enter the Houston Rockets. They've pushed the Golden State Warriors to the brink by using such a configuration, in their case combining rising star Alperen Sengun with burly veteran Steven Adams.

Together, they've helped force a Game 7. And unless the Warriors find an answer, Houston might complete a comeback from down 3-1 to advance.

Here's how it all works:

Rockets 2-center lineup, explained

The Houston Rockets usually start Sengun at center and bring Adams off the bench. Amen Thompson starts at the power forward spot.

For most of the regular season, Adams would only play when Sengun would sit.

But now in the playoffs, coach Ime Udoka has spent time with both big fellas on the court at once.

Adams himself has been a star. He's a +53 in plus-minus.

But you put them together and Golden State can't buy a rebound.

Lineups with Adams and Sengun on the floor have a 46.3 percent offensive rebound rate in the series. That means that nearly half of Houston's misses are retained by the Rockets in those lineup constructions.

That's a recipe for success. It mitigates some of the limited spacing created by an Adams/Sengun combo and instead just gives the Rockets more chances of scoring in a single possession.

The Warriors said they'll play Kevon Looney more in Game 7 to counter it, but that's about the only card they have left to play.

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What did Steven Adams say about offensive rebounds?

The big New Zealander delivered a legendary quote earlier in the season about grabbing offensive rebounds.

Adams looked down at the stat sheet in early May and saw he had grabbed a trio of offensive boards in that night's game.

"I only got three offensive rebounds," Adams said to himself. "That sucks."

Some in the NBA have taken to calling Adams the Baron of the Boards. In pregame warmups, he spends ample time just tipping the ball to himself off the board and off the rim to flex his rebounding muscles.

It has paid off in droves in this playoff series.

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