Okay, so I got this idea stuck in my head the other day – trying to figure out how the Houston Rockets might actually perform this season. It wasn’t for any big reason, just personal curiosity, you know? Like a little side project to keep the brain busy.
My First Steps
First thing I did, I just sat down and thought about what I already knew off the top of my head. Remembered they had a lot of young guys, brought in some veterans lately. That coaching change, too, that seemed like a big deal. So, I had a rough picture, but needed more detail.
So, I started digging a bit. Wasn’t anything super formal. I pulled up some highlights from their late games last season, just to refresh my memory on how they looked, who was getting minutes. Then I looked at the offseason moves. Who did they actually sign? Who left? Made a simple list, just names in and names out. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, those were the big ones, obviously. Had to think about how they’d fit with the young core like Green and Sengun.
Looking at the Pieces
Next up, I spent some time just thinking about the coach, Ime Udoka. Remembered his time in Boston. He definitely brought a defensive identity there. So, I figured that’s probably his plan A for Houston too. Makes sense, especially with guys like Brooks and Tari Eason on the roster. They got that defensive grit.
Then I considered the young players. Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson. That’s a lot of talent, but still pretty raw. The big question for me was: how will the veterans mix with these young guys? Will VanVleet run the show properly? Can Brooks bring that tough defense without going overboard? It’s a balancing act, really.
- Checked the roster additions.
- Thought about the new coach’s likely style.
- Considered the development curve of the young core.
- Pondered the veteran integration.
Putting It Together (My Prediction Thoughts)
After mulling it over, watching a bit of preseason stuff just to see them on the court, I started forming an opinion. It wasn’t about exact win numbers – that stuff is always a crapshoot. It was more about the team’s direction.
My gut feeling? They’ll definitely be better than last year. Way better defensively, that seems almost guaranteed with Udoka and the new guys. Offensively, it might be clunky sometimes. VanVleet should help organize things, but they still need Sengun and Green to take steps forward, especially with efficiency.
So, I didn’t land on a specific number like “they’ll win 35 games”. Instead, my prediction process led me to think they’ll be much more competitive. They’ll scrap, play hard defense, probably surprise a few teams. Getting into the play-in tournament? That feels like a realistic goal they might actually push for. It won’t be easy, the West is tough, but the pieces are there for a big improvement. Seeing how those young guys develop alongside the vets under Udoka, that’s the real story I landed on.
That was basically my process. Just gathering info, thinking it through piece by piece, and landing on a general feeling about their direction rather than a hard number. Felt like a practical way to go about it.
