NBA Power Rankings: Houston Rockets Moving Up After Win vs. Denver Nuggets?
The Houston Rockets are winners of two straight games, including the team's second victory in as many games against the Denver Nuggets during Friday's In-Season Tournament game.
The wins come off the heels of a winless three-game road trip for the Rockets, where the team lost against the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
NBA.com put more weight on the losses and docked the Rockets two spots in this week's power rankings from No. 15 to 17.
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
"The Rockets are 0-5 (and the league’s only winless team) on the road, having been outscored by 24 points from 3-point range (in a five-point loss) at Golden State on Monday," NBA.com writes. "But they’re 8-1 (with eight straight wins) at home, having held the Grizzlies and Nuggets to just 90.8 points per 100 possessions later in the week."
The Rockets have made serious strides from a year ago, but they won't be viewed as a true contender until they are able to reflect their success at home on the road. They will have an opportunity tomorrow to win their first road game of the year when they visit the Dallas Mavericks (Tue.) for the final In-Season Tournament group play game. A win will get the Rockets into the knockout round of the tournament and three victories away from winning the whole thing.
After playing the Mavs, the Rockets will face the Nuggets once again on Wednesday in Denver and the Lakers in a rematch on Saturday from Los Angeles.
