With over a quarter of the 2023-24 NBA season complete, the Houston Rockets find themselves in an excellent situation.
They are 12-9. Extrapolated over a full 82-game schedule, that is 47 games, which typically translates to a playoff berth or at least a play-in tournament spot.
At the same point last season, they were 5-16 and on their way to a third straight finish either last or tied for last in the Western Conference.
Last season, those lonely wins often come after an extended losing streak. But under new head coach Ime Udoka, Houston has learned to overcome adversity after dropping consecutive games.
During the first 20 games of a tumultuous 2022-23 season, when many of the younger players were still learning to navigate an NBA schedule under then-coach Stephen Silas, Houston’s longest winning streak was two games. With Udoka, they won a season-best six straight in November and are on a four-game streak.
“I like where we are at,” Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said earlier this week. “I know that there is a lot that we can improve on, and that is what I am excited about most. I feel like we are not as near as what we can be. We are still figuring each other out, I am just happy that we can sit right here with a winning record and still learning each other. So, I am happy about that.”
What has kept the Rockets in a lot of games this season is their improved defense. Entering Wednesday, Houston ranked first in points per game allowed (105.6) while giving up the lowest 3-point percentage (31.7%) and second-lowest field goal percentage (43.7%) among all 30 NBA teams.
“Having the big picture in mind, I think we are on the right track,” said Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet about the way the team has played in the first quarter of the season. #Rockets #Sarge @TheRocketsWire pic.twitter.com/a06MPUWB4N
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) December 13, 2023
“We are feisty,” veteran forward Jeff Green said. “We are going to continue to play hard and continue to play as a team. There are no selfish guys on this team, and we all want to win.”
Other teams are noticing the new-look Rockets, who supplemented their young core with veterans Green, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. Their offseason transformation has stopped the chatter around the NBA that the Rockets are easy to defeat.
“They are playing hard, and they have a good bench unit,” Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. told Rockets Wire during Wednesday’s team shootaround. “They play good defense, and they play faster. I think a lot of the guys who need to get shots are getting them. They are playing through the right guys and playing winning basketball.”
One major issue that has plagued Houston is its road inefficiency. It is 1-8 on the road, though the one win was an impressive one: last Friday versus defending NBA champion Denver. Once the Rockets can transfer their home magic (11-1) to the road, Houston could find a formula for playoff contention.
Although he has struggled at times, third-year guard Jalen Green has seen improvement in himself and his other young teammates, who have elevated their games in the opening weeks.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Green told reporters this week. “Obviously, we could be better. There is always room for improvement. There are little things we can get better at. Overall, I think everybody is getting better and getting to know each other, which helps each other know what to do day in and day out.”
