Which Houston Rockets Was Best at Deflecting Passes This Season

The Houston Rockets' 52 wins this season were their best in the last five years. The Rockets surprised a lot of people by finishing second in the tough Western Conference. The Rockets pushed the veteran Golden State Warriors to seven games before being eliminated for the fifth straight time by Stephen Curry and the Warriors.

Despite the disappointing ending, the Rockets are in a great position in the future as they begin their offseason plans. One of the reasons the Rockets were so successful this season was their dominance on the boards, as well as their ranking as one of the best defensive teams in the league.

The Rockets improved across the board on the defensive end, ranking in the top five in points per game allowed and defensive rating. One of the reasons for the Rockets' improved defense was their ability to deflect passes and disrupt their opponents' offense.

The Rockets emphasized getting a hand in the passing lane and not conceding baskets under any circumstances. The Rockets ranked No. 11 in deflection this season and third overall in the playoffs. For the Rockets, there were a few players who stood out when it came to deflections this season.

Amen Thompson, the All-Defensive First Team defensive stopper, led the Rockets in deflections this season. Thompson finished with 200 deflections on the season as he became the Rockets' No. 1 defender this season. Thompson guarded the opposing team's best player after entering the starting lineup in January after Jabari Smith broke his hand in practice.

Alperen Sengun finished second on the Rockets at 183 deflections on the season. Sengun took a big leap on the defensive end as he became a reliable paint defender in his fourth season. So much so that Ime Udoka trusted him enough to have him close out most games; last season, Udoka would frequently take Sengun out in close games in favor of a more defensive lineup, but that all changed this season.

Sengun was even better in the playoffs as he led the Rockets in deflections in their seven-game loss to the Golden State Warriors. Rounding out the top three was Fred VanVleet, who finished the season with 180 deflections. VanVleet led the Rockets in deflections in the 2023-24 season.

The Rockets know they have to improve on their middle-of-the-pack offense next season if they want to compete with the best teams in the NBA. However, it is good to know that you can rely on your defense to keep you in any game against any opponent.