Four years ago, former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) James Harden was extremely disgruntled with his situation on the Houston Rockets. After the former MVP was traded, the Houston Rockets were set to undergo a four-year-long period of basketball with little to no optimism.
Four years later, fans are finally experiencing that optimism. Led by perennial All-Stars Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, the Houston Rockets are 10-5 through their first fifteen games, and although they just dropped a heartbreaker to Milwaukee, they do not look like they will be slowing down any time soon.
On Oct. 28, the Rockets defeated the up-and-coming San Antonio Spurs with their superstar Victor Wembanyama, and two days later defeated the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks by six points. However, after a 31-point comeback against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors fell just short in overtime, the Rockets’ momentum seemed like it would take a hit, but it did not. They came back two days later and defeated the New York Knicks by twelve points and destroyed San Antonio in Houston, crushing them by 27 points.
The Rockets made it very clear that their goal was to make the playoffs. Thankfully for the fans, the team has shown that they are capable of beating good teams. Chicago Bulls fan and Emery junior Brandon Sorkin said, “I think the Bulls are good, but the Rockets killed them the other night. I saw a great team that night, they have a bright future ahead of them. Go Bulls.”
With the Rockets currently sitting at the third seed and NBA analysts ranking them as the fifth-best team in basketball, they are finally showing signs of success in their agonizingly long rebuild. Lifelong Rockets fan and Emery sophomore Ben Shoss said, “It is crazy, I never thought we would be here right now, but we are playing really well. I have high hopes for the rest of the season.”
