The Rockets’ 5-0 start has been about more than the record. It’s been a showcase of a team that looks sharper, more connected and far more comfortable in its own skin, even if the sample size is still tiny. Houston blasted the Bucks by 32 in Milwaukee on Wednesday to keep the unbeaten run rolling, and the way it got there has caught attention.
Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle pointed to the blend of a young core taking a clear step forward and veterans plus offseason additions supplying exactly the kind of help this group needed. One of the biggest differences has been Houston’s spacing, which had been a problem in previous seasons. Fred VanVleet’s return from injury has helped restore that balance, and it has also allowed Amen Thompson to slide back into the off-ball, defense-first role he handled so well two years ago.
“ When you have shooters out there, respected shooters, guys that the defense is turning their back … on a guy dribbling the ball … with that space being provided, Twin (Thompson) is taking advantage of it,” Durant said.
VanVleet sounded just as encouraged after the win, calling this year’s training camp “one of the best (he’s) been a part of” in comments shared by Space City Home Network. He added, “ It was something special in the air.
The energy, the togetherness, the chemistry,” VanVleet. “ And I’m not just saying that because of the record - I could care less about the record, we’re focused on getting out of the first round (of the playoffs) this year, so I’m not really worried about what our record is right now - but we’re playing some damn good basketball and we gotta keep it up.”
VanVleet has also made it clear he wanted more time alongside Reed Sheppard, and he got that opportunity on Wednesday with Marcus Smart still out. Shankar noted that Houston has until November 2 to decide whether to exercise its 2027/28 option on Sheppard, though that looks like a formality after what Shankar described as a mini-breakout ’25/26 campaign. The fourth-year option is worth $14.04MM.
There’s also a bigger financial layer to Houston’s hot start. In a separate Chronicle piece, Shankar explained how the Rockets opened the season just $14K below the luxury tax line. That setup may not last long, though it could matter down the road: Houston could prefer to stay under that threshold for 2026/27, especially with Thompson’s five-year, $208MM rookie scale extension set to begin next season and the team projecting to be a taxpayer in future years.
In Other News...
Rockets' First Loss Exposed A Problem They Can't Ignore
The Rockets first loss of the season came in a game that looked winnable deep into the fourth quarter, but the details that slipped away told the bigger story. Houston fell 114-111 to Dallas, with Kevin Durant carrying the offense with 26 points while Kyrie Irving answered for the Mavericks with 33, and the margin was tight enough that every empty possession and defensive mistake felt magnified.
What stood out most was how much the Rockets missed Alperen Senguns presence in the middle, even with the team not viewing his absence as a major injury concern. Houston also left points on the board in a few costly ways, from missed free throws to goaltending violations, the kind of self-inflicted issues that can turn a close game into a frustrating loss and give the staff plenty to clean up before the next one. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Just Sent A Clear Message About Reed Sheppard
The Rockets have continued their habit of locking in their young core early, and Reed Sheppard is the latest example. Houston has been active in securing long-term contracts for its emerging players, and the former No. 3 overall pick from 2024 has seen his role grow as he settles into the rotation and becomes a more important part of the teams future plans.
Sheppards rising profile now puts him on a path that could lead to a bigger payday down the line, depending on how his development continues over the next couple of seasons. For a Rockets team intent on building sustainably, the move says plenty about how the front office views his trajectory, even if the next major decision on his contract is still a ways off. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Enter NBA Cup With Something To Prove Against Hot Starts
The Rockets have opened the season looking every bit like a team built to make noise in the NBA Cup, joining the Western Conferences small group of unbeaten clubs. Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson have helped set the tone, and Alperen Sengun has been the steady force in the middle, giving Houston production on the glass, in the scoring column and as a playmaker while the team keeps stacking wins.
For a club trying to establish itself as one of the leagues early pace-setters, that kind of balance matters. Houston is not alone in the undefeated conversation, with Memphis also rolling and the Lakers off to a strong start, but the Rockets have their own formula taking shape around veteran shot-making and young athleticism. The question now is how long that early rhythm can hold once the schedule starts asking harder questions. [Read more 🡒]