The Rockets are unlikely to be a “great” team this season. This is still a fairly young and inexperienced group of guys. But going .500 last year and coming in with a very deep squad should make fans feel better about their chances of being at least a good team. Even after a somewhat shaky start through four games, this is a team that appears to be headed in the right direction.
When the Rockets hired coach Ime Udoka, it wasn’t just because he was a hot coaching commodity. It was also to instill some discipline and a sense of purpose in a very young group of players. We are already starting to see the dividends of the hire. Let’s discuss.
The defense is outstanding.
Udoka is well known for his approach to defense. On his teams, offense is predicated on stout defense and this Rockets team is demonstrating that they could be one of the best in the league on that end of the floor. They are top six in defensive rating and rank high in most defensive categories. They put a ton of pressure on opposing offenses and that is something they can maintain even when shots aren’t falling. There is no reason to think they cannot be a top five defensive team in the NBA this year.
They have an edge to them.
When Dillon Brooks signed with Houston, it was the first time in a while the Rockets had someone who brought more than just toughness. Brooks has a reputation for occasionally taking things a bit far, but in reality, he’s just tough and plays with an edge (he’s also the best quote in the building most days), something a young team like the Rockets needs. And it has rubbed off. They seem best when they are a little chippy and clearly aren’t afraid of anyone. That attitude will benefit them when they get into more consequential games late in the season.
They are just getting to full strength.
If there is one weakness early in the season, it is rebounding. That has been somewhat magnified by their opponents who have tended to be a lot bigger in the paint, but that should change as Steven Adams becomes more of a rotation player. Just now getting back while he continues to recover for an injury that sidelined him for over a year, he is one of the better rebounders in the NBA. As he emerges from his minutes restrictions, those rebounding numbers will improve and the entire team should follow suit.
Jalen Green appears to have taken the next step.
Prior to March of last season, the jury was out on the Rockets first high draft pick of this era. No one denied the athletic skills of Green or his potential as one of the better offensive players in basketball, but it had yet to translate to any kind of real consistency on the floor. And he seemed to regress a bit to start last season as he adjusted to a more structured style of play under Udoka. But, then he turned things around and that has continued into this season. He is scoring over 28 points per game on better than 43 percent shooting and 41 percent from beyond the arc, both on set shots and pull ups, which is a remarkable improvement. Even more impressive has been his defense where he absolutely gets after it, using his athleticism to pester offensive players relentlessly. If this is the Green we see for the duration of the season, this team will be tough to beat.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
