I think we can all agree since Harden, we have yet to find our long term #1 guy. KD is a great bridge piece but I’m really hoping on of our guys (alp, amen, Reed, Bari) truly developed into that this season…

I used to use the less legally favorable method to watch games, but got tired of the 1,000 pop ups plus now I can’t transfer the games from my iPad to tv with hdmi. I have peacock and hbo for any games on those platforms, should I just fork out for the space city network for this season?

If I hopped out of a time machine, told you I was from June 2027 and said the Houston Rockets were in the NBA Finals, what do you think happened to get them there?

That’s the question The Houston Chronicle posed to people around the NBA, essentially asking how the Rockets could have vaulted past the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, near-universally considered the two best teams in the Western Conference. 

The Chronicle asked an executive and three pro scouts. None of them work for the Rockets. All were granted anonymity to speak honestly. Here’s what they thought:

Gift link: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/rockets-nba-finals-path-scouts-22485089.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG91c3RvbmNocm9uaWNsZS5jb20vc3BvcnRzL3JvY2tldHMvYXJ0aWNsZS9yb2NrZXRzLW5iYS1maW5hbHMtcGF0aC1zY291dHMtMjI0ODUwODkucGhw&time=MTc5MjYwNDU1OTU3Mw%3D%3D&rid=MWM0ZTM0OTQtYTE2OS00ZTc1LTlkZjctYTdjMDBlZTdmMjcy&sharecount=MTA%3D

Can’t make it to the game so I have a free ticket in section 419 if anyone wants it.

Anyone else having issues subscribing? It’s telling me there are no subscription option…

Over under. How many times will Ime use this excuse on this team because he sucks at in game adjustments?

In the past 10 seasons the Rockets have lost 9 of the 10 opening night games. The only win was in 2017 over the warriors by one point. Can we get off to a good start tomorrow night please?!

As a team emerges from a rebuild, its players separate themselves. 

The franchise, done tanking for high draft picks, now aims to see how the talent accumulated from those picks can impact winning. Some players show themselves capable. Others don’t, and subsequently fall out of the team’s future.

The Houston Rockets hit that point about three seasons ago, coinciding with the hire of coach Ime Udoka. Houston went from winning under 30 games for three straight seasons to 41 in Udoka’s debut campaign to 52 and playoff berths in each of the last two.

Amid that process came departures. Former first-round picks Usman Garuba, Cam Whitmore, TyTy Washington, Josh Christopher and Jalen Green aren’t in Houston anymore. The Rockets evaluated, identified and culled its core.

That process continues, and after two straight first-round exits, the standard of success goes up for everybody when the season tips off Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks.  

“Coaches, players, we’re not just trying to make the playoffs,” Udoka said. “We talked about being competitive and changing the perception in Year One and we did that. So the next steps are to not just make the playoffs but make some noise while you’re there.”

Read more: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/houston-season-preview-amen-thompson-young-core-22423851.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaG91c3RvbmNocm9uaWNsZS5jb20vc3BvcnRzL3JvY2tldHMvYXJ0aWNsZS9ob3VzdG9uLXNlYXNvbi1wcmV2aWV3LWFtZW4tdGhvbXBzb24teW91bmctY29yZS0yMjQyMzg1MS5waHA%3D&time=MTc5MjUxNjgyODUwOA%3D%3D&rid=MWM0ZTM0OTQtYTE2OS00ZTc1LTlkZjctYTdjMDBlZTdmMjcy&sharecount=OQ%3D%3D

With the season opener against Dallas coming up Wednesday, here’s what the data shows:

• Rockets fans gave the Mavericks an average of 40.2 out of 100 rivalry points (fans split 100 points among their team’s rivals)
• Mavs fans gave the Rockets 27.0
• Combined, Mavs-Rockets ranks #5 of 86 NBA rivalry pairs in our research

So both fan bases recognize it, but Houston fans spend more of their rivalry attention on Dallas.

A caveat: this reflects the fans who responded, not every Rockets fan, so take it as a conversation starter.

Questions for you: Does that sound right? What’s behind the Dallas rivalry for you: proximity, playoff history, the front-office stuff, something else?

The full write-up is free on The Rivalry Report: https://knowrivalry.substack.com/p/texas-rivals-different-levels-of.

We recognize some of the data on the website doesn't match up with what our report here says. We would love it if you helped us update it!

Hello, I am currently conducting surveys for the fanbases of all 30 teams before the regular season officially starts. If you could fill out this poll once, that would be greatly appreciated. Results will be posted later on after the start of the regular season, likely around the trade deadline. Thanks! Also, none of these questions are marked as required so if you only feel like answering some, that is completely fine.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScdTHytwtOCJpLj0cz3SJHvV1XQf24cAZxWIY5gnyjbF_rLzQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Also PSA for anyone concerned: This poll does not require an email address to complete and does not ask for anything that could identify whoever is taking it. These are completely anonymous and you could theoretically take it multiple times, though it is asked by me for the polls sake that you only take it once. I am not affiliated with the NBA or with any media outlet revolving around the NBA in any way, I am just an independent strong fan of the game who loves surveys like these. I was able to do this last year and was thrilled to get over 2000 responses, and hope that it can be as successful this year.

*G League

Found this in a box of random sports cards. I forgot Bradley had a stint here with the rockets. It must have been when we were tanking hard with wood, tate, porter Jr etc. This team has had the most random collection of players to come through Melo, Joe Johnson, Lou Williams etc.

This showed up in my recommendation and it's really good video. Breaks down his chances of becoming a good shooter, what to look for this season in his development, and what path he needs to take to live up to his new contract.

This could be a special year

FVV looks healthy. Team looks so much better with an actual point guard starting. KD, Amen and Sengun were all asked to play offense roles they were not comfortable with last year. KD can now just be a finisher. Amen can be an amazing cutter. Sengun doesn’t have to post up 30 feet from the basket. If Smith takes another leap this starting lineup is scary.

The bench is DEEP.

Tari, Adams and Smart could start for a dozens team. Boggy was a former starter. Reed’s offense is starter quality. Capela looks more in shape. Even Thorton and Crawford look solid enough to play spot minutes.

Houston is a legit DARKHOURSE to make the Finals. OKC and Spurs are the clear favorites. But Houston has players that will give both of those teams fits.