Rockets Rank Second in Latest Power Rankings

The Houston Rockets are off to a stellar start to the 2025-26 season, sitting fourth in the Western Conference with a 12-4 record. All told, the Rockets lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets.

Those teams have a combined 53-11 record. And a surefire superstar. 

The Rockets have reeled off two wins without Kevin Durant, who has missed time with a family matter. And they're rolling in spite of a myriad of injuries.

Fred VanVleet, Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Steven Adams. The list is long. 

Houston's role players have come through. Especially of late. 

Reed Sheppard has lit the league up, making those who viewed him as a bust look foolish. Or a bit premeditated.

Aaron Holiday has saved the day for the Rockets on a few occasions, giving him multiple opportunities for his signature Rockets moment.

He's only been playing significant time because of injury. 

The Rockets don't play again until Monday, when they'll have an away and away against the Utah Jazz.

As Houston has figured out their groove, they've established themselves as one of the league's better teams. Especially in the Western Conference. 

Marc Stein has the Rockets as the league's second-best team, jumping from sixth from just last week.

"The jumbo-sized Rockets are certainly doing this their way. No established point guard to step in for the injured Fred VanVleet. Hoisting the fewest 3s on a per-game basis in the league. Somehow rebounding two out of every five shots they miss (better than 40%). Playing zone nearly 20% of the time. If you were looking for a specific team that makes you blurt out #thisleague ... you'd struggle to come up with many better nominees than 12-4 Houston."

The Rockets have been referred to as a throwback team for some of the points raised by Stein. They don't shoot alot of threes, despite today's trend of hoisting long-range shots.

They also trot out two centers more than perhaps anyone else in the league. They also rank last in pass rate.

And they shoot midrange shots.

It's easy to understand why they'd be viewed as a retro team.

But it's worked thus far.