The Athletic Questions Skill Level on Rockets' Roster

The 2025-26 NBA season is in full gear, as we've seen star-studded performances all throughout the league. As for the Houston Rockets, they've gotten off to a slow start.

Well, mini-start. It's only been two games, as of this writing. Both games were beyond winnable.

It's not like the Rockets were crop-dusted and proven to have been significantly worse than their opponents. In Houston's first game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they seemingly were one missed Kevin Durant free throw away from seizing victory, despite how poorly they shot from 3-point land.

Granted, a game never comes down to one play. However, that one free throw could've very well garnered a different outcome. 

But, buy and large, if this Rockets team needs one free throw to seal the game, Durant is probably the one they'd be most comfortable taking it.

Fred VanVleet isn't an option, obviously. 

In that game, the Rockets had the best player on the floor in Alperen Sengun, despite squaring off against last year's MVP and Finals MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

And Houston took the champs to two overtime periods. For what it's worth, the Thunder were pushed to double overtime in each of their first two games.

In the Rockets' second game against the Detroit Pistons, they shot lights out from long-range, but failed to prevent the Pistons from doing the same, which was amplified, as they got more 3-point shots up than Houston. 

Durant was spectacular. Better yet sensational. 

To the tune of 37 points on just 18 shots, marking the second straight game that the Rockets had the best player on the floor. 

However, people may be starting to lose confidence in Houston. For example, The Athletic dropped Houston from 10th to 15th in the power rankings, questioning the skill level on the roster.

"When Ime Udoka took over the Rockets head coaching position, he brought Fred VanVleet with him. Among the biggest issues with the Rockets during the Stephen Silas/post-James Harden era was the sheer number of turnovers: 15.9 per game over three seasons, the most in the NBA to go with the most losses.

Udoka and VanVleet turned that number around in their first two seasons together, down to 13.3 per game, ranking 10th. Now, one way the Rockets minimized turnovers is by passing fewer times than any other team last season.

But the possession battle is important to the Rockets.

In two close losses, the assist-turnover ratio is glaring: 23:25 at Oklahoma City, 15:14 at home against the Pistons. That includes a 4:7 assist-turnover ratio in clutch time. Getting this offense to click while running it through Alperen Şengün, Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson is going to take time."

It's a safe bet to expect the Rockets to self correct, as they simply have too much starpower not to. And again, they've lost both of their first two games by nailbiters.