Inside The Rockets

Rockets Are 'For Real', Says Analyst

The Houston Rockets' start to the season isn't a fluke.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 19, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) looses the ball to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Dec 19, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum (3) looses the ball to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets find themselves close to the top of the Western Conference standings two months into the season.

While that may be a surprise for some, it isn't to the Rockets, who have been building towards this success ever since Ime Udoka stepped into the building in April of last year.

Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus praised Udoka's job and claims that the Rockets are "for real."

"Last year, the Rockets switched from almost entirely young, inexperienced players to a mixed group with veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. The results were interesting but not explosive enough for a play-in run," Pincus writes.

"Head coach Ime Udoka turned a woeful team into a defensive force, which has carried over this season. The Rockets are growing up quickly and are legit. They will not be in the lottery again this May."

The Rockets still have a long way to go, but if they can continue to work along this trajectory, they should be one of the more dangerous teams in the Western Conference by the end of the season.

The Rockets are back on the court tomorrow night when the team travels north of the border to take on RJ Barrett and the Toronto Raptors. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET inside Scotiabank Arena.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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