After multiple seasons of hard work, the Rockets have finally ushered in a resurgence and rise - this season, relying on their strong defensive capabilities and rebounding advantages, they have successfully entered the playoff competition ranks in the top three positions in the West. Compared to pre-season expectations, the young lineup of the Rockets has achieved remarkable results under the leadership of head coach Udoka.
The Rockets' performance on defense and rebounding can be considered top-tier in the league, but if they want to go further in the playoffs and even compete for the championship, the shortcomings on the offensive end are obvious - the slightly immature guard Jalen Green, the difficulty of launching an offensive from the inside with Shen Jing, and the lack of a superstar who can step up in critical moments is the biggest problem for the Rockets to compete for the championship.
This team's performance this season can be described as amazing, especially on defense, ranking second in the league with a defensive efficiency of 105.8. Udoka's defensive system is not just talk; with their dominance in rebounds and defense, the Rockets have an advantage in the paint.
We can take a closer look at the Rockets' problems through several key games:
In the game against the Timberwolves, the Rockets led by 10 points in the last three minutes of the game, which seemed to have settled the outcome, but unexpectedly, the Rockets made frequent mistakes in the critical moments, completely losing their offensive rhythm, and eventually were overturned and lost the game by the Timberwolves. In the critical moments, VanVleet's ball handling and organizing ability had problems, and the Rockets could not stabilize their position in the critical moments of the game.
Similarly, in the game against the Heat, although the Rockets showed a strong desire to win, it was the difficulty of scoring in the critical moments that prevented them from taking away the victory. In the game, the Rockets still did not have any players who could stand up in the critical moments and score key points. In the end, the Rockets regretfully lost to the Heat by 4 points.
From these games, it can be seen that the Rockets lack a super scorer who can calmly handle critical balls and break through the opponent's defense in critical moments. Although VanVleet has made some contributions on the offensive end, he does not possess the scoring and organizing abilities of a top star. Jalen Green and Shen Jing have considerable talent, but there is still much room for improvement in terms of stability and scoring explosiveness on offense, and their basketball prowess is still developing.
Udoka has obvious deficiencies in scheduling on the offensive end and tapping into the offensive potential of young players. The Rockets' offensive system relies on the individual abilities of several young players, whose scoring stability is insufficient, resulting in the Rockets' scoring weakness when facing strong opponents.
The Rockets must add a star who can shoulder the offensive responsibility, especially one with stable scoring and strong killing power. Fox of the Kings is a good candidate. Fox has performed outstandingly this season, repeatedly scoring high points, possessing strong offensive capabilities and excellent scoring explosiveness, which is very suitable for the needs of the Rockets. Defensive intensity allows the Rockets to suppress opponents in the regular season, but everyone also knows that relying solely on defense is not enough to go far in the playoffs.
After Harden left, the Rockets entered a rebuilding phase. Although they lost this superstar, it also ushered in the rise of young players. As one of the young core players of the Rockets, Jalen Green's scoring ability is also excellent, but it is far from stable enough to become the team's No. 1 star.
Fox's basketball prowess is tending to stabilize, with almost no blind spots in his offense, excellent dribbling breakthroughs, and shooting, which can completely make him the No. 1 star of this Rockets team; thus, the offensive pressure on Jalen Green and Shen Jing will be relieved, and the offensive level of the Rockets will be improved.
However, the Kings will inevitably ask for a high price, and some of the talented seven sons of the Rockets will become trading chips, along with first-round draft picks; if they can get the opportunity to compete for the championship, why not do it?