Courtesy of Sunday’s thrilling win over defending NBA champion Denver, the Houston Rockets (6-3) have won six straight games and are among the league’s best teams by numerous metrics.
For the season, Ime Udoka’s new-look Rockets rank No. 7 in net rating, including a No. 10 mark on offense and No. 5 on defense. Exclude an opening night clunker on Oct. 25 in Orlando and focus solely on the last eight games, and Houston’s marks rise to No. 5 in net rating, No. 4 on defense, and No. 7 on offense.
So, how are the Rockets — who finished last in the Western Conference in each of the past three years — doing it? Michael Malone, who coached the Nuggets to last season’s title, has an idea.
Here’s Malone, via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
They’re a different team. Anytime you add an All-Star in Freddy VanVleet, and an all-defense player in Dillon Brooks, a veteran in Jeff Green who helped us win a championship, a new coaching staff — obviously, Ime, his guys, have done a great job — they have a new identity, a new culture.
The Nuggets had won 10 of their final 11 games against the Rockets under the guidance of former head coach Stephen Silas.
As for whether Udoka’s team can keep its progress going, the next test comes Friday night in Los Angeles versus former franchise icon James Harden and the Clippers. Tipoff is at 9:30 p.m. Central.
Rockets insider: Rockets surge past Nuggets the latest demonstration of how they have grown, relying on execution and defense. Michael Malone: "They have a new identity, a new culture.” https://t.co/vg6ybi2bra via @houstonchron
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) November 13, 2023
