In the new season, the league has given birth to a number of dark horse teams, they have shown a high level, and their records and rankings are eye-catching, such as the Thunder and Timberwolves in the West, the Knicks and Pacers in the East. At the same time, as the season deepened, some dark horse teams were a little unable to do their best, and gradually faded the halo of dark horses. The Houston Rockets are such a team, from the super rise at the beginning of the season to the current outstanding, there are joys and worries, and there is a long way to go!
In the past three seasons, the Rockets have won 17, 20 and 22 games respectively, and are a veritable mess team, with the only gain being the hoarding of many young talents such as Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, and Shin Jing. Last offseason, the Rockets replaced Silas with Udoka and brought in veterans such as Van Jordan, Dillon, and Jeff Green, and the intention is self-evident, that is, they are going to start cashing in on their talent. The Rockets got back on the road and frequently created surprises, winning six in a row, five in a row, and at one point ranked fourth in the West. At that time, many people sighed: Udoka, Van Jordan, Dillon and other tough guys brought a different culture to the team, and the rise of the Rockets will be unimpeded.
However, as the season progresses, the Rockets' veteran and newcomer routines are gradually being figured out by opponents, and they are falling out of the competition in the Wild West. In this process, the Rockets had the intention to kill the enemy but were unable to return to the sky, and paid the tuition in full. Among them, against the Green Army, the Rockets once trailed by 36 points, and finally suffered a 32-point rout; Playing the 76ers, the Rockets launched a counterattack after trailing by 28 points, but in the end they fell short and missed the 28-point reversal; Playing the Knicks, the Rockets once trailed by 20 points and eventually lost by 15 points; Playing the Pelicans, the Rockets once trailed by 20 points and eventually lost by 11 points; Playing the Timberwolves, the Rockets trailed by up to 28 points, and finally scored a 21-point defeat; Playing the Pacers, the Rockets once led by 10 points, but collapsed in the second half and finally lost by 3 points!
From the Western Fish Belly to the Western Dark Horse, and then to the Western Fish Belly, the Rockets seem to be on the edges, but in fact they still lack the strength and resilience that a strong team should have, especially in the face of the Green Army, Knicks, 76ers, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Pacers, and other teams in the Eastern and Western playoff echelons, the Rockets still seem too immature. It's not so much that the opponent is too strong, but that the Rockets themselves have many shortcomings, from star quality to offensive and defensive stability, they can't match the opponent's level. In a sense, these teams that beat the Rockets are like a mirror, giving the Rockets, the dark horse team in the West, its original form, which can be described as internal and external troubles.
On the one hand, the burden of the Rockets' interior line all falls on third-year student Shen Jing, and he doesn't even have a serious substitute, which is an extreme test of the Rockets' interior offensive and defensive continuity. Shen Jing is indeed powerful, but he doesn't have the ability to turn the clouds like Jokic and Embiid around. On the other hand, the two mentors of the Rockets, Dillon and Van Jordan, have suffered injuries of varying degrees, which is a new challenge for the young people on the Rockets' guard line. The Rockets' rise at the beginning of the season relied on desperate Saburo-like defense, and now they are unable to make up for the instability on the offensive end with defense, and it is reasonable to lose more and win less.
For a young dark horse team like the Rockets, losing is a necessary way for them to grow, and there is nothing to worry about, not to mention that they also have a lot to gain in the process? The biggest takeaway is of course the growth of young people, especially Shen Jing, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Ethan and Whitmore, Shen Jing's all-round skills are full of imagination, Jalen Green has also turned himself into a non-sale with a continuous explosion of performance in the face of trade rumors, and the hard-working and competitive attitude of Jabari Smith, Eason and Whitmore can also be met but not sought. There is no doubt that the future of the Rockets is promising, and this season, the Rockets may only be able to "do good things without asking about the future", and the Warriors' opportunity has come.
As of now, the Rockets have a 23-27 record, and they have relinquished the 11th spot in the West to the Warriors (22-25). The Warriors are currently just 2 years behind the Jazz (26-26), who are 10th in the WestWith five wins, and given the Jazz's readiness to tear up the team and Kerr's awareness of the need to reuse young players, the Warriors definitely have a chance to start the Northern Expedition and return to the play-in tournament. Don't miss the time, hopefully Curry and the Warriors can take their chances. Fans, what do you think about this? Leave me a review**.