can't believe we're not Number 30 https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-19 28 Last Week: 28 Houston Rockets Record: 15-46 Pace: 101.2 (7) OffRtg: 106.3 (27) DefRtg: 113.2 (25) NetRtg: -6.9 (27) Only the Thunder (-6.5) have seen a bigger drop in points scored per 100 possessions from last season than the Rockets (-6.2), who will rank in the bottom 10 offensively for the first time in 15 years. Houston has more high-priced talent on its roster than Oklahoma City, but Eric Gordon hasn’t played in more than six weeks, John Wall has been one of the league’s worst perimeter shooters, and things really fell apart when Christian Wood suffered a bad ankle injury in early February. Of course, Wood’s return didn’t fix the Rockets’ issues. They rank 27th offensively since he came back on March 17 and have scored just 108.9 points per 100 possessions (2.6 fewer than the league average) in 625 total minutes with Wall and Wood on the floor together. There’s been better numbers (116.5 per 100) in a smaller sample with Kevin Porter Jr. joining that duo, but Porter has missed the last three games. The Rockets have seen the league’s biggest increase in ball movement (passes per 24 minutes of possession) from last season, but still rank just 21st, also in the bottom 10 (27th) in player movement. They’ve managed to rank last in both mid-range field goal percentage (30.6%) and 3-point percentage (33.4%). Week 19: vs. MIN, vs. MIL, vs. GSW, vs. NYK meanwhile, the real NY Knicks have climbed to Number Eight: 8 Last Week: 12 ↑ New York Knicks Record: 34-27 Pace: 96.4 (30) OffRtg: 110.1 (19) DefRtg: 107.8 (4) NetRtg: +2.3 (9) The Knicks continue to defend at a high level. Their game against the Hawks on Wednesday was probably their biggest of the season and they won it with a strong stretch of defense (nine straight stops) midway through the fourth quarter and a 10-0 run to start overtime. The Knicks’ defensive energy and connectivity was on full display in the third defensive possession of the extra period (gif’d below). Nerlens Noel (3.0 blocks in 29.1 minutes over the streak) has been rather ridiculous in protecting the rim. But the other end of the floor has been the real story as the Knicks have won nine straight games to climb from eighth to fourth place in the East. New York has the league’s No. 1 offense (118.7 points scored per 100 possessions) over the winning streak, having seen jumps in both 3-point rate and 3-point percentage. Julius Randle has averaged 30.1 points over the streak, with jumps in both minutes per game (three of the nine games have gone to overtime) and usage rate. He’s still making good decisions with the ball and now ranks third in the league with 199 assists on 3-pointers, just three fewer than both Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard. But he’s also aggressive with his off-the-dribble game. The Raptors were double-teaming him 20 feet from the basket on Saturday and Randle still scored 31 points, shooting 8-for-13 from outside the paint. Week 19: vs. PHX, vs. CHI, @ HOU
The Thunder's tank job to climb up the lottery probability charts rivals the Rockets' lately. The Thunder and Magic deserve those spots!
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2020-21-week-21 28 Last Week: 27 ↓ Houston Rockets Record: 16-52 Pace: 101.6 (7) OffRtg: 106.6 (27) DefRtg: 113.9 (27) NetRtg: -7.3 (27) The Rockets have seen the eighth biggest season-to-season drop in winning percentage in NBA history (an 0-4 Week 21 would make it the sixth biggest drop) and have four fewer wins than any other team. The league’s worst record gives them a 52% chance of keeping their pick (if it lands in the top four) and a 48% chance of having to give No. 5 to the Thunder (thanks to their trade for Russell Westbrook) in exchange for the Heat’s pick. Lottery night will be tense, but even if they get a top-four pick, he won’t be joining much of an existing young core. Jae’Sean Tate was a nice find, but the only former first round pick under the age of 25 on the Houston roster is Kevin Porter Jr. (No. 30 in 2019). Of course, John Wall, Eric Gordon (who’s played just 75 games over the last two years) and Christian Wood are all under contract for two more seasons. Kelly Olynyk is a free agent and has done himself a favor by averaging 18.8 points on 57% shooting in his 23 games with the Rockets, but the defense has been bad (117.4 points allowed per 100 possessions) in 436 minutes with Olynyk and Wood on the floor together. There’s some semblance of a rotation here if the young guys get better and the vets get healthy, but it’s probably not one that’s going to compete in the Western Conference while Wood (one of five players who’ve averaged at least 20 points, nine rebounds and one block per game) is still under contract. And it’s going to take a long time for the James Harden trade to bear fruit. Week 21: @ POR, @ LAL, vs. LAC, @ ATL
don't think nba.com put out a ranking for the final week, we'll have to settle for CBS.com https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ealthy-lakers-lurking-knicks-surprise-us-all/ 30 ROCKETS Tilman Fertitta is optimistic, but the road back to relevance for the Rockets is going to be long and arduous. Christian Wood is the real deal, Jae'Sean Tate and Kenyon Martin Jr. were pleasant surprises, but they're going to need a lot of lottery help over the next couple of seasons to put together a winning core. John Wall averaging over 30 minutes in 40 games was a feel-good story, and we'll see how he comes back next season. dropped 2 17-55
Donm't feel this guy Rockets. Wall was painful not feel good (after the first 5 games post Harden) and Wood is real on his current deal but he won't settle for that.
