Inside The Rockets

Rockets Beginning to Form Playoff Rotation

The Houston Rockets are fully healthy and they are getting ready for the postseason.

Jeremy Brener

Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) defends as Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) controls the ball during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) defends as Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) controls the ball during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Houston Rockets are less than a month away from the postseason, which is unfamiliar territory for the team.

The Rockets will play in the playoffs for the first time in five years, before five of the eight players in Ime Udoka's rotation were even in the league.

Udoka is beginning to prepare the team for the playoffs by shrinking his bench down to just eight players.

"The Rockets got Amen Thompson back from a six-game absence over the weekend but still used just an eight-man rotation that included some minutes with Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams on the floor together. The Rockets have outscored their opponents by 85 points (dominating the glass and allowing just 88 per 100 possessions) in 101 total minutes with both bigs on the floor. Seven of those eight rotation guys (all except Adams) averaged at least 15.2 points per game over the winning streak. The Rockets scored 120.2 points per 100 possessions over the nine games, up from 111.2 over their first seven games out of the All-Star break," Schuhmann writes.

In their game against the Denver Nuggets, Udoka started Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson and Sengun, while Adams, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason came off the bench. That's likely what we will see in the playoffs barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The Rockets are back in action tomorrow night as they take on Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from inside Toyota Center.

Published
Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

Home/News