The Rockets are looking like more than a fast start, and DeMarcus Cousins isn’t shying away from saying it out loud. Houston is 7-1 and sitting on top of the Western Conference after a big win over the Celtics on Monday night, and Cousins sees a team built to chase a championship.
On the latest edition of Run It Back, Michelle Beadle asked whether Houston has enough to win it all. Cousins didn’t hesitate, leaning on what the Rockets showed the night before when Kevin Durant finished with just 12 points.
“I believe they do. The fact that they won last night with Kevin Durant scoring 12 points, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen that.
Six shots, 33 minutes. It goes to show the talent that’s on this roster.
It goes to show how locked in this team is, and how complete of a team this is.”
For Cousins, the appeal goes beyond one strong night. He pointed to the way Houston is built from top to bottom, with scoring, depth and star power all in place.
“I think they have it at every position. I think they have the depth, I think they have the starting five.
I think they have the guard play, and they have the superstars to get them over the hump. This is the most complete Rockets team I’ve seen in a while, and I think they’re the real deal.”
Cousins said the biggest threat to Houston may not be on the floor at all. In his view, the only thing that could derail this group is health, especially with the Western Conference taking shape the way it has.
“With the way that the West is kinda shaping out, obviously you got unexpected injuries and things of that nature. I think that’s the only thing that could stop this Rockets group right now, is health. Outside of that, like I said, I think they have a complete roster, they check all the boxes, and I think this is their year to come out the West.”
In Other News...
Jabari Smith Jr Just Opened A Bigger Option For The Rockets
Jabari Smith Jr. has spent much of his Rockets career being asked to stretch the floor, but against the Celtics he showed there is more to his value than spacing and shot-making. With Houston short on its usual backup centers, Smith handled a bigger defensive load and spent long stretches absorbing the kind of physical work that usually falls to a true rim protector.
The result was a glimpse of a different lineup path for Houston, one that could matter whenever injuries or matchup concerns force the coaching staff to get creative. Smith helped keep the Rockets competitive on the glass and held up well against Bostons size, which only adds to the sense that his evolving role may give this team another option when the rotation gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Exposed A Celtics Flaw Joe Mazzulla Couldnt Ignore
The Celtics 109-93 loss to the Rockets on Tuesday did more than snap a five-game winning streak. It also forced Joe Mazzulla to confront a problem that has been building in Bostons frontcourt, where Mitchell Robinson has not been producing on the glass the way the Celtics need him to, and the teams defensive rebounding percentage has slipped into the lower tier of the league.
Mazzulla pointed to a schematic issue in how Robinson is being deployed, with the big man spending more time away from the rim than in the kind of spots where he can create extra possessions. For a Celtics team that has leaned on size and physicality to cover for other issues, the rebounding drop-off is becoming harder to ignore, and the Houston game offered a clear reminder that the margin for error shrinks fast when those second-chance battles go the other way. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Suddenly Face A Frontcourt Concern They Cant Ignore
The Rockets are heading into their matchup with Minnesota already juggling frontcourt depth, and the timing is less than ideal. Houston has been trying to sort through its big-man rotation while preparing for a Timberwolves team dealing with its own absences, including Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo being sidelined after surgeries.
What makes this one worth watching from Houstons side is the uncertainty around the interior rotation, which has been a steady part of how the Rockets want to play. Minnesota is also carrying a questionable tag on Terrence Shannon Jr. with a left hip contusion, but the bigger issue for Houston is how much size it can count on once the game actually tips. [Read more 🡒]