Rockets wins by 10 or more: Dallas +31 Miami +22 Cleveland +18 Golden State +28 Charlotte +30 San Antonio +29 New Jersey +25 Atlanta +26 Utah +14 Lakers +25 So, 10 of the 25 wins have been by double digits and the average of those wins is 24.8 points... and those aren't all scrub teams by the way. Furthermore, they've been sprinkled throughout the season and been done with a number of lineups. Impressive. Rockets losses by 10 or more: Utah -10 Detroit -12 Phoenix -11 Lakers -11 (2OT) So, 4 of the 13 losses have been by double digits with an average of 11. None of these are scrub teams and one was the first game of the season, another was the second of a back-to-back against the league's most proficient offense, and one game was double OT. 3 of these came within the first month of the season and the Rockets have only had one double-digit loss since December 1 (the 2OT game). Not bad. Seems to me this is another data point that shows the Rockets are for real and a very good team.
And Rockets have yet to be blown out this season. They've had a shot to win every game. We have something to play for every 4th quarter. That's a very good sign.
I agree... but when 40% of your wins are blow outs and only one 2OT game since December 1 is a double digit loss, even though the team is nowhere close to full strength, that says something positive about the talent and the team.
Not true, though statistically they may be the same thing, the Moral of the team changes with a big 25 point win versus a Laker team that has just barely beat them twice and a 31 point win against a Dallas team that was supposed to be one of the best. Those wins are moral boosters and confidence builders. They help more than you think. On top of that they give starters a little break. They dont have to be stressed till final second. It is one thing to play whole game up 25 points and to play whole game neck and neck. Each take a different toll on your body and more than that your mental game. Close games naturally take alot more outta of you.
You know, the Rockets and the Suns are probably the only two teams in the league that have yet to suffer a blowout loss. And the Suns' schedule has been infinitely easier than Houston's -- in fact, the only wins they have over a potential championship contender so far this year were over Houston on that back-to-back and a narrow 1-point victory over Chicago. Their schedule for some reason is really soft for the first three months and then suddenly gets very tough during the home stretch. Houston, on the other hand, has blowout wins over San Antonio, Dallas, Utah, Chicago and L.A. already.
Interesting numbers. I had already taken notice of the general pattern (blowing other teams out, not getting blown out ourselves) but I didn't realize it was that lopsided. As rare as wins over Dallas and San Antonio have been in recent years, to beat both teams essentially by 30 a piece really says something. Now it doesn't necessarily say that we're better, but it says that when we're clicking on all cylinders we can beat the best, and beat them badly.