The past two weeks have been kind to the Houston Rockets, as they have won five straight while scoring 110+ points in each game – working their way to No. 1 in offensive rating in the process. But now, the real work begins, as the Rockets will be challenged this weekend for the first time since beginning their winning ways.
The Rockets have stacked wins against a handful of teams in the bottom half of the league: the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, a depleted Boston Celtics squad, the Dallas Mavericks sans two centers and, most recently, the Memphis Grizzlies amidst their Ja Morant drama.
Houston has faced the seventh-easiest schedule so far, losing to the two best teams they’ve played. Meanwhile, the wins have come against opponents with a combined 14-28 record to start the year.
But the competition will stiffen this weekend, as the Rockets continue their three-game road trip with matchups against the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks.
And while most stats have been positive for Houston, they did enter Wednesday’s game ranked fifth in turnovers committed per game, even with the soft schedule.
Things are about to get much more difficult for Rockets
This Rockets offense will be tested against the Spurs and their No. 2 defensive rating, which is sandwiched right between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Detroit Pistons – the only two teams to beat Houston this season.
Of the teams the Rockets have beaten, only the Celtics (10th) rank inside the top 16 in defensive rating. Houston is still searching for their first win against a team with a winning record.
Can they continue to knock down threes at a league-best 43% clip? They might need to, as Houston is 22nd in shooting percentage inside the arc. But the current three-point pace seems unsustainable.
Both San Antonio and Milwaukee also rank inside the top 12 in offensive rating, as the Rockets still look to steady things on the defensive end.
Houston has dominated the glass this year with its size, but this weekend will have to deal with superstar forwards Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Spurs actually generate more points in the paint than Houston, while ranking right behind them in several rebounding categories.
Monday’s victory over Dallas was promising in the fact that Houston pulled out a close game late. Both wins this week have been encouraging, with the Rockets finding ways to get it done even when Kevin Durant isn’t filling up the stat sheet.
But the next two matchups won’t be so forgiving. Can Houston pull out road wins if Durant continues to shoot below 35% from the floor?
Right now, the Rockets are like the attractive guy with no personality, who can thrive in a bar full of women. But things change once real competition walks in.
Houston bullied its way to victories a year ago with a harassing defense. This year, they’re doing it with their size – dominating teams on the glass, second chance points, and trips to the foul line. Beating up on the league’s bottom half is one thing, but proving it against contenders is another. And now comes the chance to do just that.
Houston will try to go out and bring back home a pair of wins to close out this road trip, proving the winning streak hasn’t just been smoke and mirrors.
