Ime Udoka’s Rockets are on a four-game winning streak and sit at 21-9 through 30 games in the NBA.
The Houston Rockets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 128-111 for their 21st win this season.
Ime Udoka’s Rockets: The Difference In A Season
Ime Udoka’s Rockets are the second seed in the West and the fourth-best team in the league on a 57-win pace.
At the same stage last season, the Houston Rockets were 15 – 15 after 30 games in the NBA.
Coming into the season, most people thought the Rockets would improve but didn’t think they would be a top-two seed in the Western Conference on December 24th.
Considering where the Rockets were the previous 3 seasons, hiring Ime Udoka was one of the best moves in franchise history.
Before Udoka, the Rockets seemed stuck in a perpetual rebuild, a phase some NBA teams are familiar with.
Defense wins You Championships
The Houston Rockets won their 21st game of the season in December against the New Orleans Pelicans.
In comparison, three seasons ago, the Houston Rockets only won 20 games in the season.
The Defense is their biggest strength this season as they are the fourth-best in the NBA with a 105.5 rating.
Only the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder and his former team, Boston Celtics are ahead defensively.
The Numbers And Team Leaders
Jalen Green just passed Shaq on the list of 22 and under players with the most 30-point games with a 70 TS% or higher in NBA History:
- 29 — Kevin Durant
- 25 — Jalen Green
- 24 — Shaquille O’Neal
While Green drives the offense, Alperen Sengun provides defensive cover averaging 10.4 rebounds per game and 1.0 blocks per game.
Before the win over the Pelicans, Ime Udoka’s Rockets equaled a franchise history, the 10th time they have 20 wins through their first 29 games.
The other Nine times they made the playoffs: 1993-97, 1999-00, 2014-15, 2016-18, 2019-20.
The Doubts Are Still On
For Ime Udoka’s Rockets, the job is not done yet as six teams battle for the sixth seed.
They could end up in that mix very quickly if unable to hang with the top teams.
The jury is still out on the Houston Rockets as there is a general belief that they are facing soft teams for now in the league.
