Inside The Rockets

NBA Power Rankings: Where Are Rockets After Loss vs. Thunder?

The Houston Rockets fell short against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Where does that put them in this week's power rankings?

Jeremy Brener

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The Houston Rockets are fighting for their Play-In Tournament lives in the second half of the season as the team sits 4.5 games back in the Western Conference race.

Despite only winning one of their first three games after the All-Star Break, the Rockets are moving up in this week's power rankings. The team now sits at No. 20 after landing at No. 22 the previous week.

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Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"Fred VanVleet returned to the starting lineup this week, averaging 17 points and five assists on 40% 3-point shooting as the Rockets went 1-2," CBS Sports writes. "His presence didn't negatively affect Amen Thompson either, as the rookie moved back to the bench but still averaged 14 points, seven rebounds and nearly three blocks per game."

If the Rockets want to make a push for the Play-In, VanVleet and Thompson will be key, as is almost everyone on the roster. However, good guard play helps at this time of year, and it was apparent that the team missed VanVleet when he was out with an injury just before the All-Star Break. His return, coupled with Thompson's resurgence, is necessary if the Rockets want any chance to play bonus basketball this season.

Rockets' VanVleet Unlocked New Level After All-Star Break

The Rockets are back in action tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9 p.m. CT on TNT. Then, they head to Arizona for a pair of games against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday and Saturday.

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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.

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