Why Robert Horry Picks Rockets Over Lakers

A Question With History Behind It

Few people are better positioned to weigh in on this matchup. Horry won back-to-back titles with Houston in 1994 and 1995, then helped the Lakers to three straight championships from 2000 to 2002.

He was quick to clarify that loyalty had nothing to do with it. His pick, he said, was “not because I’m a Rocket lover or a Rocket hater.” Instead, he pointed to something he believes the basketball conversation often overlooks.

Cohesiveness Over Everything

“I just think when you look at cohesiveness, that’s so important in this game,” Horry told Robinson. “It doesn’t get talked about a lot.”

It’s a telling choice of words from a player whose career was defined by fitting in rather than standing out. Horry was rarely the best player on his championship teams. His value came from understanding exactly where he belonged within a system: spacing the floor, making the extra rotation on defense, and being ready when the ball found him in the final seconds.

For Horry, Houston has already put in that time. “I think they’ve been together last year,” he said, highlighting the continuity of a group that grew up together and learned to compete as a unit.

The VanVleet Factor

Horry also singled out the return of Fred VanVleet as a key piece. The veteran guard brings championship experience, steady decision-making and a calming voice to a roster that leans young. Getting him back means the Rockets aren’t just keeping their core intact. They’re restoring a leader who knows how to organize an offense when games tighten late.

The Lakers’ Learning Curve

Los Angeles, in Horry’s view, faces the opposite challenge. “The Lakers got a whole new team,” he said. “So they’re going to have to do a lot of practice to learn each other, and are they going to have the time to gel?”

His point about how teams practice now is worth noting. With heavy travel, back-to-backs and an emphasis on load management, modern NBA teams spend far less time on the practice floor during the season than teams of Horry’s era did. Much of the chemistry-building now happens in real games, which means a reshuffled roster can spend weeks or even months figuring itself out while the losses pile up.

Still, Horry made it clear he isn’t rooting against his former team. “I hope they do,” he said of the Lakers finding their rhythm.

Why Horry’s Take Carries Weight

Talent wins headlines in the offseason, but Horry’s career is a reminder that cohesion often wins in the spring. His Rockets and Lakers title teams were built on players who trusted one another in high-pressure moments, and he sees that same foundation already in place in Houston.

“For me, talking about cohesiveness and playing well together, I have to go with the Rockets,” he concluded.

The Lakers will have every chance to prove him wrong. But if the Rockets come out of the gate playing like a group that already knows itself, don’t be surprised if Big Shot Rob ends up being right once again.