Houston Rockets Make Astronomical Leap in Latest Power Rankings
The Houston Rockets extended their win streak to six games on Sunday, meaning that they currently have the second longest win streak in the entire NBA.
The Rockets took down the Denver Nuggets despite a massive game from Nikola Jokić, and it should put the rest of the NBA on notice. And in the latest NBA.com Power Rankings, that looks to be the case.
After being at number 26 in last week's rankings, the Rockets have taken a massive jump to the top ten and grabbed the number eight spot. This comes as a result of the team's 6-3 start to the season, which is their hottest start in years.
Rockets closed their seven-game homestand with a 6-1 record. Friday night, the Rockets defeated the Pelicans.
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A lot of this newfound success can be attributed to the team's new additions, most notable of them being Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet.
VanVleet has averaged 17.0 points and 8.0 assists per game, while Brooks has averaged 14.0 points. But perhaps, Alperen Şengün has played the biggest role in the Rockets' success.
The big man looked solid last season, but he has shown a lot of improvement this season, and many have compared him to Jokić because of his great play. Şengün has led the team in points and rebounds per game with 19.0 and 8.0, respectively. He is also currently top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage shooting an even 60 percent.
The Rockets have their longest break of the season not counting the All-Star break, as their next game is not until Friday when they play the new-look Los Angeles Clippers. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. from Crypto.com Arena.
