On January 21, 2025, Beijing time, the Rockets faced the Pistons at home, which was their second encounter of the season. The Rockets had previously defeated the Pistons by 2 points on the road, and with a much better record than the Pistons, it was expected that they would continue to win today. However, in this game, the Pistons had a clear advantage and dominated the Rockets throughout, ultimately defeating them by 11 points. Why did the Rockets, who could defeat the Pistons away from home, suffer a complete loss at home? A key reason is rebounding. In their first encounter, the Rockets grabbed 53 rebounds while the Pistons grabbed 46, giving the Rockets a 7-rebound advantage. However, in today's game, the Rockets only managed to grab 39 rebounds while the Pistons grabbed 52, resulting in a 13-rebound deficit for the Rockets. One of the elements contributing to the Rockets' victories this season has been rebounding, as they average 5.7 more rebounds per game than their opponents. In their first encounter, the Rockets had a significant rebounding advantage, but today they were completely outmatched by the Pistons. Why did this happen? The reason is that compared to their first encounter, the Pistons had an additional "rebound monster" in their lineup, Duran. In their first encounter, Duran was absent, and Stewart became the starting center for the Pistons. In that game, he scored 16 points with 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, performing well. However, Shenjing performed even better, scoring 27 points with 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and…

25 wins and 12 losses, firmly occupying the second place in the West, this record is too bright. When the schedule is almost halfway through, the Rockets have almost locked in this position, losing two fewer games than the Grizzlies, with a head-to-head record of 2 wins and 0 losses, showing a clear advantage. The Rockets are considered the biggest dark horse this season, and it's possible that their first playoff trip after the Harden era is really coming. Among the many stories of the Rockets, there is a rookie whose experience has attracted particular attention, and he is Reed Shepard. The Rockets' performance this season is truly commendable, from Coach Udoka's outstanding coaching to Green's stable play, Shen Jing's growing maturity, Amen Thompson's strong rise, and the steady performances of players like Javale Smith, even VanVleet has found his own positioning on the court and started to distribute the ball reasonably. The team atmosphere is good, the chemistry is excellent, and they look like a strong team. When the Rockets selected Shepard with the third pick in the draft, everyone thought the Rockets had found a treasure. In all the lottery pick operations, the media gave only the Rockets' selection of Shepard an A rating, while others were below A. After playing two good games in the summer league, fans' evaluations of him soared, saying he was a combination of Paul, Nash, and Curry, which is a ceiling-level compliment. Coach Udoka even declared him as the leader of the Rockets before he played a single NBA regular-season game. For…

The Rockets' character has improved, and in the third quarter, their rhythm of advancing and the lucky three-point shots might have really given them momentum against a different opponent. However, the Rockets responded every time, firmly holding down the Nuggets. With Green's current form and the return of Little Jason at full strength, it's hard to imagine what a complete Rockets team would look like. It's really something to look forward to! Green needs a lot of shooting opportunities to bring back his shooting percentage. He is the fastest scorer on the Rockets, and this type of player needs a lot of shots to gradually improve his shooting percentage. Even if Green has an average first half, he can bounce back in the second half! During the 11-game winning streak last March, without Shenjing as the first core, Green faced a significant increase in defensive attention. Then, in several games, he struggled in the first half but scored over 10 points in the third and fourth quarters, widening the gap or overtaking the score, and his shooting percentage also went up. During the 11-game winning streak, Green averaged a top-level shooting percentage of 48% + 42%. This type of ball-handling offensive player needs to hold the ball more to maintain his touch and offensive rhythm while combining with off-ball positioning tactics to keep him moving, making him almost invincible, similar to the perfect display of Green's talent on the offensive end against the Grizzlies on January 14! Now that Green and Amen are playing better and better, it may be…

In the fiercely competitive Western Conference of the NBA, the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder have always been two promising teams that attract attention. However, after in-depth analysis, it is not difficult to find that compared to the Thunder, the Rockets show a more terrifying development potential and future prospects. The following three reasons are enough to prove that the Rockets are the true masters of the West's future. Salary Structure: The Rockets' Advantages Are Obvious, While the Thunder Hides Crises Next season, the Thunder will face huge pressure on their salary cap space. With the big contracts of the team's players gradually taking effect, the total salary will significantly increase. Looking back at the glory and helpless disbandment of the "Thunder Trio" in the past, a similar plot is very likely to be repeated in the current Thunder team. Once the salary pressure exceeds the bearable range, the team will most likely choose to rebuild to balance the finances, which will undoubtedly disrupt the team's development trajectory. On the other hand, the Rockets currently have VanVleet with the largest contract, which expires at the end of the season and is still an option for the team next season. Shen Jing's big contract starting next season is only more than 30 million, Green has a total of more than 30 million in the next two seasons, Amen's contract is only about 10 million, and the salaries of other young players are also in the millions. As long as the Rockets choose to get rid of VanVleet's contract, the…

The game between the Rockets and the Lakers was quite a spectacle, with its ups and downs making it very interesting. Initially, it seemed like it would be a one-sided affair, but it ended up going down to the wire. Fortunately, the Rockets managed to secure the victory, solidifying their ranking. So, what aspects of this game are worth analyzing? Let's take a look. The Rockets' lineup change proved to be a great success, with two output geniuses contributing significantly to their win, which is indeed shaking up the Western Conference. As everyone knows, the Rockets had several players missing from this game. Ethan was out due to injury, and Xiao Jia also got injured, but fortunately, Aman returned. So, where did the Rockets get it right in winning this game? We can identify four correct decisions. The first decision was the successful lineup change. With Aman's return, Udoka opted for a lineup change, starting with Dillon, Aman, Shen Jing, Green, and VanVleet. This starting lineup turned out to be quite stable, with Aman serving as a substitute for Xiao Jia and performing his role well. The second decision was to capitalize on their interior and rebounding advantages. While the Lakers have Anthony Davis, the Rockets' interior is no pushover. In this game, the Rockets repeatedly scored inside, accumulating 52 points. Additionally, they controlled the boards effectively, grabbing 49 rebounds, including an impressive 18 offensive rebounds. The third decision was to speed up the offense and quickly get into defensive positions. As everyone saw during the game, the Rockets were…

NBA action continues as the Lakers travel to Houston to face off against the Rockets. The teams are evenly matched in terms of strength, and the game starts with both sides trading blows. However, towards the end of the first quarter, the Lakers experience a power outage, allowing the Rockets to go on a scoring spree, resulting in a 14-point deficit for the Lakers by the end of the quarter. In the second quarter, the Lakers show some improvement, but their poor shooting from beyond the arc and weak rebounding efforts leave them trailing by 18 points at halftime. The third quarter sees LeBron James take charge of the offense, nailing four three-pointers and leading the team to within two points. The final quarter is fiercely competitive, with both teams exchanging blows and keeping the suspense alive until the very end. A crucial turnover leads to the Lakers' defeat, 115-119, ending their two-game winning streak. Let's examine the data to see who should be held accountable for the loss. LeBron James: His strong performance in the third quarter brought the team back into the game, but a missed forced three-pointer and an offensive foul in the fourth quarter put the team in a precarious position. He finished with 8 out of 16 shots made, scoring 21 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out 9 assists, with a plus-minus of -13. Anthony Davis: Despite delivering a full-court effort on both ends of the floor and giving Shengjing a tough lesson, the lack of victory overshadows his performance. He scored 30 points,…

NBA regular season has passed one-third, and the Rockets are sitting in third place in the West. This young team is experiencing a dilemma about whether to introduce Butler, and this choice may affect their development path for many years to come.‌ The recent performance of the Rockets has impressed the league. The team is proving itself in a special way, playing an eye-catching offensive rhythm that gives opponents a headache. VanVleet is leading a group of young players on the court with surprising chemistry. This chemistry makes the Rockets' offense more diverse, rather than relying solely on individual play as before. Shen Jing's growth rate has exceeded many people's expectations. His performance on the court is becoming increasingly mature, especially in key moments when handling the ball, he is able to take on more responsibility. Green's shooting ability gives the Rockets more tactical options. His threat from beyond the three-point line forces opponents to disperse their defensive attention, giving other teammates more offensive space. This young Rockets team is proving with practical actions that rebuilding does not necessarily require a long time; as long as the direction is correct, the growth speed of young players can exceed expectations. The depth of the Rockets' bench is also an important reason for their current success. The substitute lineup often maintains the score during the rest of the starters, and this rotation advantage is particularly important in the regular season.‌ The current Rockets are no longer the team that only relies on Harden's individual play. Their offense is more diversified, and their…