Houston Rockets: Thankful for These Keys to Winning This Season

Today is Thanksgiving, and the Rockets moved up to second in the Western Conference last night. The team should be thankful for these keys to winning.

Nov 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) dribbles past Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Last night, the Houston Rockets moved up to second place in the Western Conference, trailing just the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Rockets have a 14-6 record, while the Thunder's is 14-4. Houston plays OKC on Sunday in what should be a gritty match.

Being second in the west, this is one of Houston's best starts in years. Today is Thanksgiving, and in honor of the holiday, these are three things that the Rockets should be thankful for:

A Young Core

Rafael Stone has put together a solid young core of players. He started off with the Rockets in 2005 in the general counsel position. Daryl Morey got fired, and he became the general manager. He has defied all odds to be successful as a GM, and he has been fantastic for Houston. In four drafts, he has picked Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard. This season has been better than most people could have expected for the Rockets, and it is all thanks to Stone, who put together one of the best young rosters in the league, as well as one of the deepest rosters in the NBA.

The Ideal Coach

Stone made a fantastic move for the Rockets in the 2023 offseason. He hired Ime Udoka as the head coach. This was the biggest turning point in recent Rockets history, since the trading of James Harden. Last season, Udoka led the Rockets to winning 19 more games than the season before. They finished 41-41, just barely missing the Play-In tournament. This season, they are looking like one of the best teams in the league, sitting at second in the Western Conference with a 14-6 record. Udoka has seriously changed the culture in Houston. He wants to win, and he does not mess around. He has instilled the "no-bs" mentality in these young players, which has ultimately led them to winning.

The Terror Twins

Houston needs to be appreciative of Tari Eason and Amen Thompson. These young defensive threats have been fantastic for the Rockets this season. Eason is averaging 11 points and six rebounds on almost 50% shooting, as well as two steals and a block. Thompson is averaging 11.9 points and seven rebounds on 57.6% shooting alongside a steal and block. The "Terror Twins" have helped Houston become one of the best defensive teams in the league with a defensive rating 103.7. Their defensive rating is the second best in the league, just behind Oklahoma City with a 103.0. Thompson's defensive rating is 101.4, while Eason's is 96.1. The two players are some of the best in the league on that end, and they bring so much energy to the team when they are on the floor. They are a big part of the reason why Houston has been as good as they are to start their season.

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