Good Job Rockets
Anyone who is friends with me on Facebook knows only one thing about me - I love the Houston Rockets. For years, I have posted one simple phrase after every win -
“Good Job Rockets”
When James Harden was in Houston, I was one of the most active users on Facebook. 395 wins - 395 “Good Job Rockets”.
Then, James left via trade to Brooklyn and the Rockets rebuild began. From 2020 to the end of the 2022-23 season, the Rockets only won 59 times. I had people ask me if I was ok, because they hadn’t seen me post “Good Job Rockets” in a while. They usually regretted the question, however, as it led to long explanations of the state of the team and several resigned sighs.
Now, the rebuild is complete. With the addition of Coach Ime Udoka last season, the Rockets, in the last year and a half, have already earned 70 “Good Job Rockets”. They are currently the second seed in the West, with a 30-14 record. They are the only team to have beaten both number one seeds, the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West. It’s a good day for basketball in the city of Houston, especially with the University of Houston being undefeated in Big 12 play, but we’ll get to them in March.
Today, I will go through 3 main factors in the Rockets current success.
Well, at least as I see it.
Young Guns
Three years of horrendous records led the Rockets to several lottery picks. In the 2021 draft the Rockets had the 2nd overall pick, which they used to select Jalen Green from the G League. They also traded with Oklahoma City for their 16th pick, Alperen Şengün from Turkey. Alpi and Jalen have proven to be cornerstones - evidenced by the fact that both of them received contract extensions in the off-season. Jalen is an electric scoring threat, athletic enough to drive to the rim and score at will all while being able to pull up and shoot the three. Alpi is a certified floor general - able to see cutters and wide open shooters with the eyes in the back of his head.
In the 2022 draft, the Rockets selected Jabari Smith Jr. with the third pick and picked up Tari Eason with the 17th pick. Bari and Tari have shown their strength on the defensive side of the ball. Jabari's dominance in the Summer League games was legendary and he came to the Rockets as an instant starter - able to guard any position on the court. His shooting started off slow, but he has hit several clutch shots, most notably his 3 point make to beat the New Orleans Pelicans with .4 on the game clock. Tari Eason is a relentless machine - he never tires and he makes opposing players work hard every minute he’s on the floor. Tari is one half of the Rocket’s “Terror Twins”.
The other “Terror Twin”, Amen Thopmson, was drafted fourth overall in the 2023 draft. Amen has quickly proven to be one of the Association’s premier athletes - his quickness and elevation makes him extremely hard to guard while being an elite defender. The “Terror Twins” name is truly earned, with Tari and Amen wreaking havoc on opposing teams. The 2023 draft also saw the Rockets take Cam Whitmore with the 20th pick. “Slam” Whitmore is another exceptional athlete, his high flying dunks and fantastic shooting are fun to watch.
Veteran Presence
Now, while the young guns are hustling around the floor, another main reason for the Rockets success are the veterans that Rafael Stone, the Rocket’s General Manager, has brought to Houston to help guide the youth movement. In 2023, the Rockets signed veterans Dillion “The Villain” Brooks and Fred VanVleet. Dillon is a known defensive monster. He earned the nickname “The Villain” in Memphis by being a relentless defender and hall of fame trash talker. His ability to get in his opponents head and throw them off their game has been a main factor in the team’s defensive prowess. Fred VanVleet was the backup point guard on the Championship winning Toronto Raptors. Fred is a fantastic mentor for the young Rockets, he rarely turns the ball over, he doesn’t force shots, and his postseason experiences will be vital to the team come playoff time.
The Rockets also signed NBA journeyman and 2023 Champion Jeff Green, defensive specialist Aaron Holiday, and re-signed Je’Sean Tate, a relentless fountain of energy and hustle. They also traded for veteran center Steven Adams, one of the strongest players in the league. The combination of amazing young talent and savvy veterans has propelled the Rockets to one of the premier teams in the NBA.
Defense wins Championships
While the players are obviously the ones on the court doing the winning, they didn’t get there by accident. In 2023 the Rockets signed head coach Ime Udoka and he brought his defensive mindset to the Space City. The Rocket’s are one of the best defensive teams in the league, with a defensive rating of 108.4, good for fourth in the league. The Rocket’s crash the boards better than any other team, with a NBA leading rebound percentage of 52.9%.
They are 8th in the association in steals with 9.2 per game and 10th in blocks with 5.2. The emphasis on defense has translated to offense - they are second in fastbreak points with 18.6 per game. Their relentless association leading 14.7 offensive rebounds per game has led them to lead the NBA in second chance points at 17.6.
This Rockets team is built on hustle and defense and, as we all know, defense wins Championships. Now, the Rockets do have areas to improve in. They are in the bottom third in the NBA in shooting percentage and they only score a 23rd best 12.3 threes a game. However, the combination of young talent and veteran leadership under one of the better coaches in the NBA makes me confident that they will improve.
The Rockets have launched towards the stars and, like NASA hopes to do one day, they may likely reach them.
Walker’s Weekly Wrecommendations
Each week I’m gonna review and recommend random things - TV shows, music, or a restaurant. Whatever I feel like. This is my blog.
This week's Triple W is Netflix’s original sketch comedy show “I Think You Should Leave”. Created by Saturday Night Live Alum Tim Robinson, ITYSL is a deep dive into absurdist humor delivered in an often chaotic fashion. From hot dog vacuums to guys fighting over shirts with complicated patterns, I Think You Should Leave leaps into the absolute ridiculousness that is the human condition.
NEXT WEEK: Walker’s Wranting’s presents “Let’s Talk Football - A Super Super Bowl Preview”