Houston Rockets Hot Start Indicates Bright Future

The Rockets 2024-25 start bodes well for the team’s near and long-term future.

Nov 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) looks on while playing against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

As it stands now, the Houston Rockets sit as a double-positive 12-6 on the season, good for No. 3 in the Western Conference and the fifth-best record league-wide. They trail only the Cavaliers, Celtics, Warriors and Thunder, otherwise known as elite company.

Most importantly, the team’s record has been no fluke. They’ve beaten the likes of Dallas, New York, LA in successive games, and more. They currently rank No. 2 in the entire league in defensive rating, and while their offensive rating sits at No. 15 with a 112.5, they still rank No. 4 in net rating: a great sign that their success has been legit.

And they pass the eye test, too. Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün lead the way in the scoring department with over 18 a game. Veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks continue to anchor the team with veteran two-way play. And Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, deemed the “Terror Twins” by fans, have bolstered the bench unit ten-fold defensively.

And while Houston will certainly take the success in the short-term, their hot start bodes even better for the team’s future.

Eason is 23 years of age, Green and Sengun are just 22 and Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. just 21. Simply put, the team is well ahead of schedule.

And the cherry on top lies in the team’s most recent No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard, whose yet to really make an on-court impact for the Rockets, but still has a sky-high potential on both ends. Not to mention Cam Whitmore still has plenty of time to figure things out as a scorer in the league.

For now, the team will continue to compete night in and out, likely preparing for the ensuing years where it will return to contention.

The Rockets next take on the Timberwolves and 76ers on Tuesday and Wednesday in one of their tougher back-to-backs of the season.

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