The Rockets Don't Seem To Have An Extra Gear

Once again, the Houston Rockets lost to a direct competitor in the Western Conference, this time with two games in a row against the Los Angeles Lakers. The two losses hint at a concerning element that some of Houston's competition has over it.

Offensively, these teams have another gear to reach. Whether it's because of a superstar or a few stars that help make things easier for their teammates, or if they have a roster full of players who can do multiple things and hit big shots, each of the top Western Conference teams have a high offensive ceiling. These teams may not reach their ceiling every game, but it's realistic to believe they could reach it more times than not in a seven-game series.

At this point, the Rockets don't have that level of firepower. Kevin Durant is still fantastic, but he's at his best when it seems like he and his defender are the only ones on the court. One-on-one, Durant scores basically on any player in the league.

However, teams are rarely allowing Durant to play one-on-one, and his teammates haven't been able to pick up the slack enough to support him.

Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün did a strong job against the Lakers, needing Durant to support their efforts. However, none of these players have the offensive ceiling of Luka Doncic, an excellent scorer and passer. Durant doesn't even clear the play of LeBron James, a second top option for the Lakers.

Down the list of Western Conference contenders, the Minnesota Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards, who is in a league of his own offensively; the Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, who is in a league of his own all-around; and the top two teams have entire rosters that contribute more consistently than the Rockets' role players.

The role players are truly who limit the Rockets the most from reaching their ceiling, mostly because their stars don't necessarily create open space for them effectively.

Even when they have open space, they aren't taking advantage of their opportunities. Tari Eason is in the midst of one of the worst shooting stretches in his career. Jabari Smith Jr. has reclaimed his position as a stretch, showing a little more versatility offensively. However, he must show it consistently and against the best teams to help the Rockets move forward.

Even with everything clicking for the Rockets, their ceiling offensively just doesn't match what other teams can provide when they reach that next gear.