5. Houston Rockets 2024-25 record: 10-5 Previous ranking: 10 Next games: vs. IND (Nov. 20), vs. POR (Nov. 22), vs. POR (Nov. 23) Pay attention. Off to their best 14-game start since 2019-20 after Sunday's win at Chicago, the Rockets are one of the hottest teams in the West. Houston hasn't lost consecutive games this season, and its suffocating defense appears to be improving as Alperen Sengun continues to develop on that end of the floor. The Rockets entered Tuesday with the third-best defensive rating in the league (105.2), and two bench players -- Amen Thompson and Tari Eason -- are arguably the most significant contributors to that and making strong cases to enter the starting lineup. -- Michael Wright https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/42468239/nba-power-rankings-okc-battles-west-magic-ascend-east
5. Houston Rockets 2024-25 record: 13-6 Previous ranking: 5 Next games: @ PHI (Nov. 27), vs. OKC (Dec. 1), @ SAC (Dec. 3) Intense execution of simplistic schemes wins. It was only a matter of time until Houston started to exhibit the grit and toughness that defined coach Ime Udoka's playing career. It shows mostly on defense, where Udoka demands his players win their individual matchups. The Rockets rank No. 2 in defensive efficiency behind the Thunder. Credit veterans Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet for establishing Houston's defense-first mentality that's been adopted by younger players such as Tari Eason, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. as the Rockets continue to strive in a scheme dedicated to taking away the 3-pointer. -- Michael Wright
5. Houston Rockets (14-6) Previous Ranking: 6 Net Rating: +8.4 The Houston Rockets have undoubtedly taken a big step forward, and that applies to just about everyone on the roster. Prior to Wednesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers, though, one starter seemed to be lagging behind. Through his first 19 games, Jalen Green was shooting 38.1 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from deep. And more importantly, the team's net rating was dramatically better when he was off the floor. His shoot-first, defense-last game make him, at best, a tricky fit for Houston's otherwise egalitarian offense and rigid defense. But on Wednesday, Green dropped 41 points on 12-of-20 shooting. He drew 14 free-throw attempts. It was a reminder of the offensive upside he can bring. And though he's obviously not going to drop 40-plus every night, defenses knowing he's capable will make life easier for every other Rocket on the floor. Bleacher Report
4. Houston Rockets (14-6, LW 5). The Rockets move into title contenders status not for what they might do in June, but because they might win the NBA Cup. Houston is 3-0 and one of only two teams to have already won its group and secured ints place in the knockout round. Rockets fans, be thankful for the intense, physical, gritty defense that Ime Udoka has instilled in this team, it will take them beyond just the NBA Cup. https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/...celtics-top-things-to-be-thankful-for-edition
4. Houston Rockets. Despite Fred VanVleet nearly gouging out the eye of an official in Saturday's loss to the Blazers, it was another great week for the Rockets, who now sit just one game out of the top spot in the Western Conference. Alperen Sengun put up his third triple-double of the year in Tuesday's overtime win against the Wolves, while Houston is fractions of a point away from being the league's best defense. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...west-lakers-take-a-tumble-amid-losing-streak/
The NBA is a game of runs. Every team has a few good runs in the game and in the season. The Rockets are proving that they have the defense ability to withstand the other team’s runs. And at the same time the offensive acumen to inflict hurt on the other teams defense. The team has been able to play toe to toe within the high drama of a wire to wire photo finish game. And they are developing the stoic fortitude to eek out wins that for past teams would have been way too elusive.
Yahoo Sports 4. Houston Rockets (15-6) Previous Ranking: 5 The Rockets picked up their best win of the season over the Thunder. Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 38 points. Houston is one of the league's best defenses. It's taken care of bottom feeders to start this year. https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-power-rankings-top-2-110956665.html
3. Houston Rockets This may be a take that ages poorly but at least for now, it's hard to rain on the Houston Rockets parade through the first quarter of the season. To be quite honest, the Rockets are playing like the best team in the Western Conference. Whether they actually are the best team remains to be seen but it's hard to not consider the Rockets as one of the best teams in the league at the moment - especially after a huge win over the Thunder on Sunday night. The Rockets are one of the best and deepest young teams in the league. They're far from a perfect team and they certainly have some real questions about their core but the Rockets are looking like a potential rabble-rouser in the Western Conference. The second quarter of the season will truly be telling for this team and more questions will be answered. But, at least for now, the Rockets have the look of a true playoff contender in the West. Led by their stingy defense, the Rockets have arrived. https://sircharlesincharge.com/nba-...merge-unlikely-west-threat-bucks-streaking/14
The "It's taken care of bottom feeders to start this year." line is misplaced. Every winning team except the Suns and Nuggets has feasted as good or better than the Rockets against sub 0.500 teams. OKC is the only team with more wins against teams with winning records than the Rockets.
NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2024-25-week-7 #3 HOUSTON ROCKETSLast Week:5↑ Record: 15-6 OffRtg: 112.5 (16) DefRtg: 104.3 (2) NetRtg: +8.2 (4) Pace: 100.4 (10) The Rockets are heading to the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, having clinched West Group A with their overtime win in Minnesota on Tuesday. They’re now 12-3 since their 3-3 start to the season, picking up a huge win over Oklahoma City on Sunday. That puts them just a half-game behind the first-place Thunder in the Western Conference. Three takeaways All three of their games last week went down to the wire, even though the Rockets had double-digit leads in each. They’ve been the league’s third-best first-quarter team (plus 15 per 100 possessions), having won the opening period in 15 of their 21 games. That includes a 33-28 first quarter against the Thunder (one of two teams that have been better in the first quarter overall) on Sunday. On Wednesday, Jalen Green scored 18 of the team’s 35 first-quarter points in Philadelphia, finishing with 41. It was a nice response after he played 23 minutes the night before in Minnesota, though the fourth-year guard is still registering a career-low true shooting percentage of 52.1% and the Rockets have still been at their best (plus-14.8 per 100 possessions) with him off the floor. With the back-to-back, overtime wins in Minnesota and Philly, the Rockets are 6-3 on the road, with two of the three losses having come by three points or fewer. Last season, they didn’t get their sixth road win until March 2. That road success will be tested this week as the Rockets take a three-game trip through California. They’re 2-1 against the Pacific Division, with the one loss (to the Warriors without Stephen Curry) having come in overtime after they erased a 31-point deficit. Week 7: @ SAC*, @ GSW, @ LAC
Definitely think it helps, what we had before pales in comparison and felt very amateurish and restricting.
4. Houston Rockets 2024-25 record: 15-7 Previous ranking: 5 Next games: @ GS (Nov. 5), @ LAC (Dec. 8) Houston hits its three-game road trip out West riding a three-game winning streak, capped by a signature victory at home Sunday over the Thunder. The Rockets aren't resting on their 19-win improvement from last season. Instead, they've turned up the heat defensively, competing with a desperation that has vaulted Houston to the No. 2 defense. For coach Ime Udoka, consistency is key. He'd like to see the team continue to build habits that it can lean on once competition ratchets up during the stretch run heading into the playoffs. -- Michael Wright https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/42744974/nba-power-rankings-bucks-bounce-back-rockets-rise-west
gonna put this down in the power rankings column NBA Lookahead: First-quarter grades for each team and your weekend slate https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5962164/2024/12/05/nba-lookahead-thunder-celtics-cavaliers/ excerpt: • Houston: Probably my favorite team story of the young season. The Rockets need more offense, but they can crush you with their defense. more at the link
dropped a bit https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2024-25-week-8 #7 HOUSTON ROCKETSLast Week:3↓ Record: 16-8 OffRtg: 112.4 (16) DefRtg: 105.4 (2) NetRtg: +7.0 (6) Pace: 99.8 (13) The Rockets lost two straight games for the first time but salvaged their three-game trip through California with a win over the Clippers on Sunday. Three takeaways Their loss in Sacramento on Tuesday was the Rockets’ worst defensive game of the season, while their loss at Golden State two nights later was their worst offensive performance. One common issue was that they were outscored in the paint by double-digits both nights. The Rockets were outscored in the paint just three times in their first 18 games, but have been outscored in the paint in each of their last six (by an average of 13 points). The Rockets have outscored their opponents in the first, third and fourth quarters this season. But closing the second quarter was a problem against the Kings (11-1 run to close the half) and Warriors (9-1 run to close the half). Then the Rockets went on their own, 12-0 run to close the half against the Clips, with Jalen Green scoring the first seven of those 12 points. The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet on Sunday, with Amen Thompson taking his place in the starting lineup. The Rockets have allowed just 84.6 points per 100 possessions in 181 total minutes with Thompson, Dillon Brooks and Alperen Sengun all on the floor. That’s the best on-court defensive mark among 856 three-man combos that have played a least 100 minutes together. After losing to the Warriors without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green last week, the Rockets will likely see them both on Wednesday, when a trip to Las Vegas will be on the line. The Warriors have attempted 47 free throws per 100 shots from the field in the two meetings thus far, with that being their highest rate vs. any opponent and the highest rate for any team vs. the Rockets. Week 8: vs. GSW*, vs. DAL/OKC
