Rockets Lead NBA in One Interesting Stat

The Houston Rockets are running it back with virtually the same core.
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) dunks against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) dunks against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets haven't led the league in much over the past few years, but now that they have turned a corner, they are on top in one unique stat: continuity.

According to ESPN writer Neil Paine, the Rockets are leading the league in returning playing time and production.

"Though the Rockets failed to make the playoffs last season, it was a season of growth for Houston, which improved its net rating by 9.0 points per 100 possessions from 2022-23. After years of losing with one of the youngest teams in the NBA (mean age 25.9), the Rockets also provided a potential blueprint for how teams should emerge from a tanking era, with a mix of savvy veterans (VanVleet) and young players coming into their own (Green, Sengun, Thompson)," Paine writes. "Houston will look to continue this upward trend this season, as the Rockets bring back each of their top 12 WAR earners -- a group that represents 76% of the franchise's three-year weighted minutes played and a whopping 94% of its three-year weighted WAR."

The Rockets have pretty much the same team from a year ago, with the exception of No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard and AJ Griffin, who they acquired from the Atlanta Hawks for their second-round selection in this year's draft.

With the core returning, Houston should have some of the best chemistry in the league, and that could be what gets the team over the hump in the upcoming season.

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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.