How Far Are the Rockets Away From the League’s Final Two Teams?

As the NBA Finals continue with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, the Houston Rockets have been back home, plotting how to reach the next level and potentially join those two teams as championship finalists in the next few seasons. The Thunder and the Pacers have constructed their teams to be well-balanced and effective on both offense and defense.

The Rockets aren't quite at the level of this year's finalists, but they might not be too far off from achieving the same level of success and being in a good position to make the NBA Finals.

Houston already has traits that are reflective of a championship-caliber team. The Rockets' defense is one of the league's elite defenses. Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson are the leaders of a defensive platoon that features several active wings who add a unique element to the defense.

Tari Eason joins Brooks and Thompson as a pesky on-ball defender and the best passing lane protector on the team. Jabari Smith Jr. has the length to contest shots at the rim, and he's got the quickness to switch onto perimeter players. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun improved on defense throughout the year, and Fred VanVleet has given quality effort on the defensive end.

There aren't many weak links on defense for the Rockets, an element that was intentionally addressed by General Manager Rafael Stone and Head Coach Ime Udoka. Their vision for the modern Rockets is a scrappy team that makes scoring difficult for the opposing team.

A defensive possession isn't over until the rebound is secured, and the Rockets were one of the elite glass cleaners this season.

They were the league's best at pulling down rebounds, averaging a league-high 48.5 rebounds per game. Sengun and Eason were a few of the top board-getters for the team, along with Steven Adams, who may or may not return to the team next season.

The Rockets were just as proficient at offensive rebounding this season, and they frequently dominated the glass against opposing teams.

Their performance on defense and rebounding is comparable, if not better than, the teams in the NBA Finals this year. Houston's defense isn't quite at the level of Oklahoma City's, but it's close enough to be a net neutral between the teams.

The main difference between the Rockets and the final two teams remaining is an experienced go-to scorer and elite shooting around a star player.

The Rockets were consistently one of the worst shooting teams this season. Only Brooks, Smith Jr., and Green were the best high-volume shooters for the squad, but top players Thompson and Sengun take away some of the spacing by being much better at scoring in the paint. There also isn't a star distributor to spread the ball around to players on the perimeter. Sengun is the closest the team has to achieving that, and the front office could benefit from surrounding him with a few more elite shooters.

Houston isn't far off from fielding a contender against some of the league's best teams. If the team can address some of its deficiencies this offseason through roster moves or internal development, the Rockets could be primed to make a deep run in the postseason for the next several seasons.