Rockets Power Rankings: Not Dead Last

At least there is some optimism for Houston Rockets' young squad.

It's been an eventful week in the NBA. There is a new team on top, with the Milwaukee Bucks usurping the Boston Celtics for the best record. Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James is missing games with a foot injury that could keep him out for the rest of the season. Plus, Giannis Antetokounmpo poked a little fun at Kevin Durant for joining super teams.

Heading into the final stretch of the season, there is a tight race for playoff positioning while other teams are lottery bound. The Houston Rockets are apart of the latter group and look to snap an 11-game losing streak and earn their first win since Feb. 1. 

The Rockets rank in the No. 29 slot in Sports Illustrated's most recent Power Rankings, in the same spot as the previous list. SI's reasoning behind the ranking:

The Rockets extended their losing streak to nine when they fell victim to Lillard’s 71-point outburst Sunday. To put things in perspective, their leading scorer finished with 17 in the loss. Houston has the worst record in the league, but it has a back-to-back this coming weekend with San Antonio, which it trails by a half game in the standings.

Can the Rockets find ways to win and continue it's growth among the young squad? There is reason for optimism, as Kevin Porter Jr. made his long-awaited return to the lineup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Next up, Houston is a 2.5-point underdog against the San Antonio Spurs on the road Saturday night. 

The youngest and most inexperienced team in the league, the average age of Houston's starting lineup is 21.8 years old. Barring a magical run during the final 20 games, the Rockets will be one of four teams in the running for Victor Wembanyama. Scouts and draft analysts view Wembanyama as the league's best prospect since LeBron James in 2003. 

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