The Houston Rockets are still getting treated like one of the NBA’s early-season heavyweights, even after their first rough patch of 2026-27. Back-to-back losses knocked them off the top of the latest power rankings, but both ESPN and The Athletic kept Houston near the front of the pack.
The Athletic slid the Rockets from No. 1 to No. 5 after the two-game skid. Even with the drop, the numbers still paint a team with real bite: Houston owned the league’s second-best offensive rating and 10th-best defensive rating, good for a plus-9.2 net rating per 100 possessions. The Rockets also had six wins against teams with winning records, the most in the league at that point.
There are still a few cracks showing, though. Fred VanVleet is shooting just over 40% from the field, which stands out for a starter. At the same time, he has helped clean up one of last season’s biggest issues, posting a 4.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
ESPN wasn’t as high on Houston in its latest update, dropping the Rockets to seventh from first. Still, the outlet credited the team’s young core, calling them “the driving force behind the successful start,”.
ESPN also pointed to Kevin Durant as a major reason Houston has stayed dangerous, with Durant giving the Rockets a veteran scoring presence. Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson were also highlighted for continuing to bolster the roster’s balance, while Marcus Smart’s addition has given Houston another steady backcourt option.
The concerns, though, are familiar. ESPN noted that Houston’s old habit of letting leads slip showed up again last Wednesday against Minnesota, when the Rockets blew a fourth-quarter lead. That was followed by a 102-99 loss to Phoenix after Houston had climbed all the way back from a 19-point deficit.
Since then, the Rockets have taken a step forward. On Monday, Durant and Sengun both scored more than 20 points, and Houston snapped the losing streak. Then came the win over Golden State on Wednesday, which gives the Rockets a chance to climb again when the next rankings come out.
Houston’s next game is against the Utah Jazz on November 13, before a trip to Washington to face AJ Dybantsa and the Wizards.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Let Another Rockets Discipline Problem Boil Over
Marcus Smarts latest flashpoint came in a tense stretch of the game against Golden State, when the veteran guard was tossed after things got physical with Charles Bassey. The confrontation erupted late in the third quarter and ended with Smart throwing a punch that missed, but the officials had already seen enough to send him straight to the locker room.
For Houston, it was another reminder of how quickly discipline issues can tilt a night off course. Bassey did not hide his frustration afterward, calling Smart dirty and questioning his toughness, and the league now has a decision to make on a play that went beyond ordinary playoff-style edge and into something that could carry a real cost. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Faces A Huge Chance To Answer Rockets Doubts
Amen Thompsons season has been a little harder to pin down than the early hype suggested. The Rockets still value his size, speed and versatility, but his defensive impact has slipped and his offense has not been as efficient, leaving more room for questions about how quickly he is settling into a bigger role. Opposing guards and wings have had their moments against him lately, with LaMelo Ball, Devin Booker and Jamal Murray all finding success in recent matchups.
Now comes a chance that can swing the conversation back in his favor. Houston is about to see Thompson tested in a marquee defensive assignment, the kind of assignment that can either reinforce the doubts or remind everyone why the Rockets are so intrigued by his upside. If he can handle the challenge, it would give his season a badly needed lift and offer a cleaner answer to the uneven stretch he has been working through. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Injury Situation Just Made This Rockets Test Feel Different
The Warriors arrive in Houston to open a five-game road trip with both teams sitting at 8-3, and the matchup already has a little extra weight because of how well each side has been playing. Golden State brings an eight-game winning streak into the building, while the Rockets are coming off a win over the Denver Nuggets, setting up a meeting that feels more like an early measuring stick than a routine November game.
Injuries are part of the backdrop, too, with several names on both sides popping up on the report and changing the feel of the night before tipoff. For Houston, the frontcourt picture is especially worth watching, and Golden States own uncertainty adds another layer to a game that could look a lot different depending on who is actually available when the ball goes up. [Read more 🡒]