Youthful Rockets Prepare for Playoff Launch

That represents a stark contrast to the Warriors. While the Rockets will make their first NBA playoff appearance since the 2019-20 season, the Warriors maintain connections to their recent glorious past that yielded four NBA championships in six Finals appearances (2015-19, ’22). The Warriors still have the NBA’s all-time greatest shooter (Curry), an elite defender (Green), a respected coach (Steve Kerr) and dependable role players (Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II). Although Butler never has won an NBA title, the Warriors acquired him before the trade deadline because of how he led the Miami Heat to two NBA Finals (2020, ’23) with dramatic playoff performances.

“They’re going to get that deer in the headlights look out very quickly,” Udoka said. “But at the end of the day, it’s basketball. I think what we do well carries over into the playoffs.”

That’s because the Rockets have a more layered identity than a handful of talented young players that lack playoff experience.

Although they have not played together in the postseason, the Rockets have several players that boast significant playoff experience elsewhere. Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet helped the Toronto Raptors win the 2019 NBA title with consistent production as a scorer and playmaker both on and off the ball. Rockets forward Jeff Green helped the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 NBA title team with a positive locker room presence. Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (three playoff appearances) and center Steven Adams (seven appearances) have thrived as physical defenders in the regular season and postseason. Aaron Holiday (14 games in two playoffs) and Jock Landale (seven games in one playoff) have played in the postseason, too.

Most importantly, Houston has a seasoned head coach who has thrived with making playoff adjustments. During his lone season as the Boston Celtics’ head coach, Udoka helped them challenge the Warriors to six games in the 2022 NBA Finals. Udoka also served as a key assistant coach when the San Antonio Spurs won the 2014 NBA title.

“He has a blunt coaching style,” Whitmore said of Udoka. “He’s very straight to the point and very straightforward. I’ve had all different types of coaches in my career. Ime is a hard-nosed coach. He’s the reason why we’re the two seed.”

The Rockets secured that No. 2 seed with three games left in the regular season and cemented a season-high nine-game winning streak in March. Though the Rockets also labored through a six-game losing streak (Jan. 30 through Feb. 8), that partly coincided with VanVleet sitting with a strained right ankle. Regardless, the Rockets have enjoyed a dramatic turnaround.

Houston won a league-worst 59 games from the 2020-21 season through 2022-23, a span that coincided with trading its franchise player (James Harden) to the Brooklyn Nets, firing its head coach (Stephen Silas) and maximizing draft capital and cap flexibility in hopes of accelerating a rebuild. Though the Rockets missed the playoffs last season, Udoka helped them improve to a 41-41 record partly by implementing what he called “a culture of competitiveness.”

“It wasn’t hard,” Udoka said. “The guys bought in. They’re a very competitive group, tough hard-nosed group that wasn’t fazed or beat down from the losing they experienced early. So they bought in from day one with bringing the right mindset.”

VanVleet and Brooks helped reinforce that approach. Both players thrive as individual and team defenders and outside shooters. They also make hustle plays and compete with physicality. That presence empowered their younger teammates to focus more on developing strong habits than worrying about their statistics.

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick called that dynamic “a perfect marriage” because that environment helped a handful of talented young players unlock different parts of their game. The Rockets boast offensive depth with seven players averaging double figures, including Jalen Green (21.0 points per game), Şengün (19.1), VanVleet (14.1), Thompson (14.1), Brooks (14.0), Smith (12.2) and Eason (12.0).

Şengün became one of four players this season to average at least 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists per game this season. Thompson joined Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Domantas Sabonis as the only four players this season to average at least 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists per game (10-game minimum).

Meanwhile, Houston ranks sixth in total defense (109.8 points allowed per game) and sixth in defensive field goal percentage (.459). Thompson and Smith could earn All-Defensive Team honors for their defensive versatility and athleticism.

“They have a team full of guys that can defend and play the right way,” Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of the Rockets. “They know how they want to play and who they’re playing through. To get these young guys to buy into what they’re doing says a lot about Coach. Ime has done a great job with that.”

Because of those qualities, Redick called Udoka “one of the best coaches in the league” and said he “should be in consideration for Coach of the Year.” Udoka already collected Western Conference Coach of the Month honors in January.

Houston has aspirations to collect more significant hardware, but can it? The Rockets have gone 2-3 against the Warriors this season with a noticeable disparity in their defense and shooting between their wins and losses. In their three losses to the Warriors, the Rockets allowed 110.3 points per game and shot 39% from the field. In their two wins, Houston limited Golden State to 93 points per game and shot 47.2% from the field.

Rockets-Warriors 2024-25 season series

Nonetheless, Redick and Lue dismissed experience as a significant factor in most playoff series. A second-seeded team has won the NBA title 16 times, including the Rockets in 1994.

“To win a playoff series, locking in on the level of focus has to go up,” Udoka said. “Obviously, the physicality and the game slows down. All of those things, they haven’t experienced. But we also have played some meaningful basketball last year.”

The Rockets will soon play more meaningful basketball, eager to prove their regular-season dominance foreshadows postseason success.