It can be easy to forget, in a sports city like Houston, that there are real bright spots. Sure, they are often fleeting, but hen they shine they do shine pretty brightly. Right now, that spotlight is on the Houston Rockets.
Houston is, ultimately like the rest of Texas, a football city. But, when the Texans are, well, the Texans, and the Astros are starting their slow inevitable decline after a decade of excellence, we are lucky that the Rockets are here to pick us up. At 11-4 with the third best record in the Western Conference, they give us a lot to be thankful for, so on the eve of Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks for…
Ime Udoka
Udoka went from a suspended former coach in Boston to one of the best young talents in the NBA. His almost monotone demeanor and willingness to bench literally anyone in pursuit of greatness was exactly what this franchise needed after years of rebuilding and futility. He immediately brought credibility to a moribund team that was running 19-year-olds on the floor every night as starters. He has quickly built this into one of the most dangerous teams in basketball with an innovative and forward-thinking approach to a game that, often, feels like one tweak away from a complete left turn. Kudos to a coach who is beloved by his team and deserving of all his accolades.
The Terror Twins
At the moment, Tari Eason is injured, but it’s more about how he and Amen Thompson have instilled a sense of never quit into the Rockets defense. This is a team that will finish the season near the top of the league in defensive efficiency yet again and their relentless perimeter length (this includes Jabari Smith, Jr. and, eventually, Dorian Finney-Smith) absolutely befuddles opponents. The length of this team morphs good teams into sputtering messes and will keep them in any game they play no matter who they face.
God bless Kevin Durant. Credit: Cody Barclay
The Double Big Lineup
The Houston Rockets are out offensive rebounding opponents by a greater margin than the league has seen since the 1970s. They can turn the ball over on offense, miss jumpers, even launch ill-advised shots and still win games because no team in the NBA rebounds the basketball like they do. Credit Udoka’s creative use of the unique talents of Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams, and now Clint Capela. Instead of clogging up the offensive end of the floor with a bunch of big slow guys, this massive (biggest in the league) lineup forces other teams to adjust and is spawning clones across basketball.
Kevin Durant
Going from middle of the league on offense to first takes more than scheme, it takes transcendent talent. Welcome to Houston, Kevin Durant. He has shot 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three this season, just like the rest of his storied, Hall-of-Fame career. His offensive efficiency has literally transformed a team from one of the worst offenses in basketball to one of the best in one offseason. It is impossible to understate his impact on the Rockets as a 37-year-old veteran.
Rafael Stone
Just look at the moves that the Rockets GM has made. From drafting Jalen Green, Sengun, Eason, Smith, Jr., Thompson, and (now) Reed Sheppard, to bringing in savvy veterans like Adams and Fred VanVleet to making the tough but necessary move to trade for Durant, Stone has been remarkably consistent in pulling every right string to turn this into one of the most talented and deepest teams in basketball. And the Rockets have all kinds of assets including draft picks and pick swamps to continue to improve an already insane roster.
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