Houston Rockets: Time to Lift Off!

Houston Rockets: Time to Lift Off!

Since the legendary James Harden trade, Ime Udoka has been the best thing that the Rockets have done. The coach helped the Celtics reach the NBA Finals in 2022. Now, he has made the Houston Rockets one of the most fun teams to watch this season. His new star, Alperen Sengun, is having a borderline all-star season. He is the greatest Turk since Ataturk. The Rockets have managed to be one of the best teams to watch night in and night out with young talent. Houston has taken off to the moon this season. They managed to beat top teams like the Denver Nuggets and the Mavericks. The rockets have lifted off the moon. They are now a playoff team. They have veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillion Brooks. They also have young talent like Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr.

Ime Udoka has been one of the best coaches in the NBA. In his first season with the Boston Celtics, we saw him lead the young team to the NBA Finals. But, unfortunately, Ime could not keep it in his pants, and it cost him his job. The best move for the franchise since the Harden trade. This is the move that changed the franchise. The team now has a defensive identity, and he has managed to get the best out of his young players. Now, the Rockets have a direction which was missing during the Stephen Silas years. Ime has the potential to win coach of the year if Houston continues to win. Alperen Sengun was paired with the franchise coach. He is making unreal jumps this season.

Alperen Sengun has been special this season. He is averaging 20 points per game, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists on a 58 percent true shooting percentage. The young star has shown himself to be an excellent player. He can play off the post, whether it’s making a basket or passing to an open shooter. The Turkish star could end up becoming the Most Improved Player of this year. He could also earn his first All-Star selection. He has proven to be a franchise player this season as he leads the Rockets to a 15-15 season.

Sengun has earned comparisons to Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis. Due to his position and his ability to create for others, shoot off the post, and make threes, The third-year player is a walking tribble double and is a problem defenders always worry about. Even if he has a bad shooting night, he'll be able to have an impact in another way. Sengun has come under fire for his defense in the past. The front office has done a good job of surrounding Sungun with talent that can hide his shortcomings. The young star has taken his talent to another level. Yet, there have been concerns about his teammate and draft mate, Jalen Green.

This season, we expected Jalen Green to go to the moon and become the superstar for the Rockets. The Rockets intended for him to take the mantle that James Harden left behind and lead them to success. The former second pick has not lived up to the expectations. So far this season, he has been inconsistent. It has resulted in him getting benched in the fourth quarter when it matters. Jalen has not improved his playmaking ability and defense. This is the problem he faces. So, when he's having an off shooting night, he is useless. Rockets fans have been out their damn minds when talking about Jalen. The dude spent the last 2 seasons in a shitty system with a wack roster, and now he has real talent around him. The third year player still has time to improve his game and become a consistent scorer.

Jalen has delt with the problem of lack of consistency. One night he’ll be a straight bucket on the court, and on other nights he'll shit the bed. For example, tonight against the 76ers, he had a great game. He dropped 31 points on 12-19 shooting. But against the Pacers, he dropped 5 points on 2-7 shooting. He is not worth giving up as he is only 21 years old, and has a long way to reach his prime. Green is a charismatic player, with his game having a lot of personality. If Jalen can become a consistent talent then he can help take the scoring load from Sengun. Jalen Green seems to be struggling to figure it out. But, another young star, Jabari Smith Jr., has improved this season.

 This past month, Jabari Smith Jr. has been on a tear. He had three games in December where he dropped 20 or more games. He is a versatile defenseman who is perfect to put alongside Sengun and Green. Smith Jr. is good at being a perimeter defender and is good at contesting shots at the rim. The second-year player is good at finishing at the rim and with mid-range shots. He has also shown signs of becoming a good three-point shooter. Jabari has also shown signs of being a good passer and ball handler. As of right now, Jabari is still figuring out his role. When he finally meets his expectations, he will become a beast on the court. The Rockets have surrounded the young three with the right veterans. Like former All-Star Fred VanVleet, will provide guidance.

Everyone was talking crazy when the Rockets paid Fred VanVleet. It confused the hell out of me as to why people were shitting on the deal. It was clear that the Rockets signed FVV for his championship experience. So far this season, he has become the team's second option. He averages 17 points and 8 rebounds per game, with a 55% true shooting percentage. Martin Scorsese directs Oscar-worthy movies. Fred has directed the Rockets offense to a winning record.

Fred has been good playing off the ball to Sengun, and his defense has been solid. Along with Fred VanVleet, another veteran who has been a percent for the team is Dilion Brooks. He has been a true anchor on defense and has brought good locker room energy to the team. He has lived up to the Draymond role on the team, which is important for such a young squad. Brooks will sacrifice himself for the team and perform all the necessary dirty work. Jeff Green seems to never age. He is the LeBron James of role players. Coming straight from an NBA championship, he has continued to be a good backup big man for the Rockets. Aaron Holiday is another good back up guard. The Rockets are very well diverse in veterans and young talent.

 The young talent the Rockets have is incredible. Tari Eason is a second-year player and has been a good two-way player for the Rockets. At times, the Rocket has given him the chance to close out games. For example, against the Pelicans, Tari Eason earned his minutes. Jae'Sean Tate has been a good two-way player for the Rockets. Amen Thompson has shown himself to be a good rookie this year and has been developing his game. Cam Whitmore is right now in the G-league but will soon be part of the rotation. The Rockets future is bright with players who can be future trade pieces or be apart of a contending team.

 Rafael Stone and Tilman Fertitta have done one hell of a job building a new team in Houston. The hiring of Ime Udoka has changed the franchise's direction. The Rockets' draft picks have also contributed to the change. This offseason, nobody won big like Houston, and it has shown. The Rockets have finally lifted off, and now they are one of the best young teams to watch in the NBA.

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