Houston Rockets Boast Greatest Statistical Continuity in the NBA

According to statistical research from ESPN, Houston has the most continuity in the NBA heading into the 2024-25 season.

Dec 27, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; (from L-to-R) Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28), Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) and Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

While the Houston Rockets haven't made the NBA Playoffs since 2019-20, the team holds a unique advantage heading into the 2024-25 season.

In addition to having a deep roster filled with solid players, Ime Udoka and company also boasts the most continuity in the league, according to ESPN.

To measure a team's continuity, Neil Paine analyzed, "the share of minutes played and the share of estimated wins above replacement for the franchise from the previous three seasons," wieghted by recency.

"Last season gets a weight of 6, the year before that a 4, and the year before that a 1," Paine wrote.

In Paine's data, the Rockets came out with more continuity than any team in the NBA, as Houston is set to bring back 75.7% of its three-year minutes and 94.4% of its three-year wins above replacement.

Wins above replacement is described as, "a player's value in all facets of the game (measured) by deciphering how many more wins he's worth than a replacement-level player at his position."

According to Paine's data, the Houston brings back the second-highest three-year wins above replacement percentage and the third-highest three-year minute total. Only the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics have a higher three-year minute total while the Los Angeles Lakers have the No. 1 hree-year wins above replacement percentage returning.

According to Paine, Fred Vanvleet, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green and Tari Eason are the team's leading returners with all of Houston's top 12 players in wins above replacement from the 2023-24 campaign set to return this season.

"The Rockets also provided a potential blueprint for how teams should emerge from a tanking era," Paine wrote. "With a mix of savvy veterans (VanVleet) and young players coming into their own (Green, Sengun, Thompson)."

After winning more than 40 games but still missing the postseason last year, Houston seems poised to take another step forward in 2024-25.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.