This morning, NBA.com released their weekly power rankings, and the Houston Rockets slotted in at the number three spot behind only the Denver Nuggets and the Oklahoma City Thunder
Rockets rank third in NBA power rankings
After an undefeated week of games, Houston remains at the number three spot on NBA.com power rankings
The Rockets had won three games in a row after suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Nuggets, including two (against teams with winning records) without Kevin Durant. But that was before last night’s ugly loss to the Utah Jazz.
Three things to consider
- The Rockets held an opponent to fewer than one score per possession for the first time in their victory in Phoenix on Monday. They accomplished this feat 13 times (five of which occurred prior to December 1) last season. Being the only team in the top five on both ends of the court, they have risen to second place defensively.
- 28 of the 30 teams have a greater opponent rate than they had the previous season, despite the league-wide free-throw rate having increased dramatically. However, after finishing 19th the previous season, the Rockets have made a very slight rise to sixth place.
- During the Rockets’ victory over Golden State on Wednesday, Reed Sheppard scored a career-high 31 points and struck Amen Thompson with a clutch basket, earning him his first two starts of the season in Durant’s absence. After playing just 31 minutes overall with the Rockets’ four full-time starters before Durant’s return on Sunday afternoon, he was still in the starting lineup (with Josh Okogie going to the bench). After 42 minutes, that group has already outscored opponents by 28 points (23.2 per 100 possessions) as of Sunday. The Rockets’ victory in Utah on Sunday marked the beginning of their first run of five games in seven days, despite having the league’s easiest December schedule in terms of cumulative opponent winning percentage (.405). Durant will have his first chance to play against his old team on Friday, as he was not involved in their victory over the Suns last week.
Houston has a relatively easy schedule this week as after facing Utah, they will face Sacramento, Phoenix, and then Dallas. Out of those three teams, Phoenix is the only one above 500 as they are currently seventh in the Western Conference.
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