Back
When the Houston Rockets' preseason win total line came out a 48.5, I had to check wipe my glasses and check again. Vegas doesn't make mistakes. And if that's the line, I realize that's where the sportsbooks are getting the right balance of wagers. So, apparently, the betting public didn't get it, because this is a team that won 52 games last season despite not having a point guard and being sans Steven Adams for the second half of their schedule.
Everyone remembers the Houston team that went out with a postseason whimper and, outside of begging Kevin Durant to make contested jumpers, looked borderline inept in the half-court. But the Rockets were still the No. 8 offense and No. 6 defense a season ago. They went 1-7 in overtime games. The 52 wins were about the worst outcome possible, and with Fred VanVleet and Adams back ... their line was 48.5?
It seemed like too easy of a bet, and through the first week of the season, it still does. The Rockets are 4-0 and look like an entirely different offense. Durant has talked about the difference VanVleet has made in allowing the Rockets to slot back into their collectively comfortable positioning. No more point guard by committee, which allows Durant to operate more off ball. Last year he had to initiate pick-and-roll offense on almost 18% of his possessions, per Synergy, but this year that's down to 7.3% while his spot-up and transition rates are up.
That's easier offense for him, and he's currently averaging 23.5 points on 54/47 shooting splits. But Durant is going to make shots in any offense. It's the other guys that are benefiting from the improved spacing and flow. Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are catching on the move and flying downhill. Houston is up three assists a game from last year and is creating almost 10 more points per game off those assists. Last year, they were in the bottom 10 in total passes per game. This year they're in the top 10.
Alperen Sengun is initiating offense as a high hub, and it puts defenses in an almost impossible spot. He's huge and is going to bully pretty much any defender one-on-one to the rim, but if you come to help Durant is spotting up or some long athlete is running to the rim. Sengun is picking defenses apart at 24.5 points, nine boards and seven assists per game on 58% shooting. Give him space at the top, and he'll exploit that, too. He's made six of nine 3-pointers so far.
Reed Sheppard brings even more juice. When he's in the game, it's a different look with him running off two-man actions and hunting shots without the burden of trying to operate as an offensive organizer. It speaks to all of the different ways the Rockets are stressing defenses right now. There's real diversity here, and with it, a real shot at contending for a suddenly wide-open Western crown.
Think about it: The Thunder just lost Jalen Williams for the season, and Cason Wallace is also out for an extended period with a torn labrum. The Timberwolves are likely going to be without Anthony Edwards through Christmas, while the Spurs are still trying to figure out their lineups with three guards and Victor Wembanyama not looking like the world-wrecking force everyone predicted, at least not yet. This might be a one-year opportunity for a team like Houston to push all its chips in and go for broke.
And they have the chips to do it. They have all kinds of draft capital and plenty of young talent to put together a package for just about any available player in the league. If VanVleet's mere presence has lifted this team as it has, imagine De'Aaron Fox or Kyrie Irving running point. I doubt the Spurs would want to strengthen a direct competitor with a in-season Fox move, but an Irving deal is perfect for both sides.
He's not on the Mavericks' timeline, and this is an opportunity to add more draft picks to build around Cooper Flagg and kick the tires on a Reed Sheppard future inside-out pairing. They could get Smith out of the deal, too, I would imagine. I think Houston is a shadow contender as constructed, but you add a guy like Kyrie and this team has a real shot. There would never be a better time than now.
And with that, let's get to this week's power rankings, where the Rockets sit at No. 1 after one week of the 2026-27 NBA season.
Biggest Movers
Rk |
Teams |
Chg |
Rcrd |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockets | The Rockets are 4-0 with two wins over a good Atlanta team and a takedown of the Spurs on the strength of Amen Thompson erasing Victor Wembanyama's potential game-tying shot at the rim in what may hold up as the play of the year. Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant have been extraordinary. The presence of Fred VanVleet at point has slotted everyone into their most comfortable positions, and it shows. | 7 | 4-0 |
| 2 | Thunder | OKC took apart San Antonio on opening night and has raced out to a 4-0 start. But the devastating Jalen Williams injury and Cason Wallace's torn labrum have overtaken all the positive vibes. Will OKC make a move to add some wing depth after losing Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe this summer? | -- | 4-0 |
| 3 | Pistons | Just about everyone pegged Detroit for a major regression following a 60-win campaign a year ago, and all the Pistons have done is storm out to a 3-1 start with wins over expected Eastern Conference contenders Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. Detroit is defending like usual and putting up a lot more 3s, and before its first off night in a loss to the Knicks on Tuesday they were going in at a 42% clip. | 10 | 3-1 |
| 4 | Timberwolves | The news that Anthony Edwards is headed for a knee procedure that will keep him out up to two months completely sobers what has been an incredible start to the season for the Wolves. The Edwards-LaMelo Ball duo looks devastating. Minnesota is 3-1 with its only loss coming to the Cavs, in overtime, on the road, in a back-to-back. If that's what it takes to beat the full-strength Wolves, good luck. Edwards already has a 45- and 47-point game. Jaden McDaniels is playing like an All-Star. Ball has added serious juice to the offense, and Minnesota is dominating defensively. | 5 | 3-1 |
| 5 | 76ers | You couldn't have asked for a better start in Philadelphia. The roles already look pretty clearly defined with Tyrese Maxey established as the go-to scorer. The Sixers (3-1) are a freight train in the open court. They've had to dig out of a lot of holes, but have shown an ability to clamp down defensively for long stretches. Only a loss to Detroit on a back-to-back (without Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe) kept them from a perfect start. Being dead last in bench scoring is a concern, but I still like the depth on this team other than at the center spot. Dean Wade is working his way back and will be big for them. | 1 | 3-1 |
| 6 | Celtics | Boston let a 22-point lead evaporate against Detroit in its opener, but has recovered with three straight wins. Jayson Tatum hit the Knicks with three straight dagger jumpers to close that one out before sinking a buzzer-beater against the Nets on Tuesday. Paul George looks great. | -- | 3-1 |
| 7 | Trail Blazers | What a win for the Blazers on Tuesday, taking down the Lakers in a wild shootout to move to 3-0 -- with the best offensive rating in the league. So much for Ja Morant not fitting. He's been so in control, getting two feet in the paint and making sound decisions based on how the defense reacts. Deni Avdija is getting to be his aggressive downhill self as Damian Lillard is operating more off ball and thriving. This is fun. | 9 | 3-0 |
| 8 | Lakers | Luka Dončić is the early MVP. Austin Reaves is headed for All-NBA at this rate. Walker Kessler may well lead the league in shooting percentage. All of which the Lakers will need most nights because this defense isn't stopping much. The Blazers put up 136 to hand L.A. its first loss of the season. | 4 | 3-1 |
| 9 | Spurs | The Spurs climbed back to .500 with wins over Dallas and Sacramento, but the losses to OKC and Houston to open the season immediately quieted the hype around this team. Victor Wembanyama had the worst shooting game of his career in the opener and looks no closer to establishing any sort of dependable scoring spot (his defense is still world conquering). Through the first three games the Fox/Harper/Castle three-guard starting lineup registered an anemic 85.1 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass. | 8 | 2-2 |
| 10 | Cavaliers | Had the Cavs been able to hold on to a 29-point lead against the Sixers in their opener, they'd be 3-0. They scored a seriously tough OT win over Minnesota on Monday. Evan Mobley is off to a strong start. He was huge in the Wolves win with three second-half 3-pointers and another one to start overtime. | 4 | 2-1 |
| 11 | Knicks | After becoming just the third team in NBA history to begin a season 0-3 following a championship (joining the 1969-70 Celtics and the 2011-12 Mavericks), the Knicks finally got it the win column against Detroit on Tuesday. Mikal Bridges finally made some shots, and Karl-Anthony Towns continues to play at an All-NBA level to start the year. Let's see if New York can find its stride after the slow start. | 8 | 1-3 |
| 12 | Grizzlies | The Grizzlies are making a lot of people who pegged them as a legit playoff threat this season look smart. Memphis has had a soft opening schedule, but 4-0 is 4-0. Ty Jerome is averaging just under 30 PPG and looks like Chris Paul running pick and roll. Cam Boozer is the first rookie since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984 to start his career with four straight wins and averages of at least 15 points and 10 boards. | 11 | 4-0 |
| 13 | Hawks | The Hawks are killing their starter minutes but that's skewed by a near 50-point thrashing of the Hornets. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was filthy on opening night. Jalen Johnson is nearly averaging a triple double but has missed 16 of his first 19 3-pointers. Dyson Daniels leads the league with 14 steals. Aaron Wiggins is balling. But back-to-back losses to an undefeated Houston team has the Hawks at .500. | 5 | 2-2 |
| 14 | Raptors | Toronto's finger-crossing didn't work. Kawhi Leonard is already hurt. The Raptors say he'll miss at least a week (and likely more, as this is simply the reevaluation point) with knee swelling. Kawhi has played in just two games and has not shot well to start the year. The Raptors are 2-1, but they've only played one good team in the Timberwolves, who blew them out. Scottie Barnes put up a bagel in that game on 0-for-12 shooting. Toronto has the worst true-shooting percentage in the league so far. | 9 | 2-1 |
| 15 | Wizards | Trae Young (22 and 11) and Anthony Davis (20 and 9) are putting up serious numbers, but the shooting efficiency isn't there for either of them. We haven't seen No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa yet. Washington is 2-2, but you can't put much stock in beating Milwaukee and Chicago. | 6 | 2-2 |
| 16 | Hornets | The Hornets are somehow 3-1 with the league's second-worst offense and Kon Kneuppel and Coby White still not having played. They aren't making shots and their turning it over at nearly a league-high rate. Brandon Miller has busted out for 73 points over the last two games but on inefficient volume. He has to do that right now. These wins are big for the Hornets to stay afloat until they can get to full strength. | 3 | 3-1 |
| 17 | Pacers | Slow start for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton made late-game magic to escape the Pelicans in the opener, but Indiana has taken losses to Dallas and Milwaukee. | 10 | 2-2 |
| 18 | Nuggets | Nikola Jokic said the Nuggets "can't defend" and the numbers back it up. Denver (1-2) is giving up over 119 points per 100 possessions as a bottom-five defense to start the year. | 8 | 1-2 |
| 19 | Magic | The Magic (1-2) might seriously be cursed. They breathed a sigh of relief that Jalen Suggs' knee injury, which looked scary, is just a bone bruise, but Paolo Banchero is already out four to six weeks with a high ankle sprain. This team just cannot stay healthy, and it feels like by the time Banchero gets back they're going to be in too big a hole to fight for anything other than a Play-in berth. | 4 | 1-2 |
| 20 | Mavericks | There's a lot to be excited about in Dallas right now. The Mavs have scored wins over the Pacers and Heat and played right with the Spurs for three quarters. Cooper Flagg is on an early All-NBA path. He looks incredible. | 2 | 2-2 |
| 21 | Jazz | The good news: Keyonte George is validating his breakout season last year and then some, and Ace Bailey is going to be impossible to keep out of the starting lineup permanently if he keeps playing like this, especially as a rebounder, which really opens up small-ball lineups for Utah. The bad news: Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for at least six weeks with a torn MCL and the Jazz, already without Jusuf Nurkic in the middle, have lose three of their first four. | 4 | 1-3 |
| 22 | Pelicans | The Pelicans could legitimately be 3-0. Instead they're 0-3. They were up nine on the Pacers to start the fourth quarter and were tied inside of two minutes. Dejounte Murray missed a potential game-winner against Utah. They took Denver to overtime. | 4 | 0-3 |
| 23 | Heat | The Heat are 0-4 and look every bit as bad as that record would indicate. The half-court offense is clunky as all hell: Giannis barreling downhill as defenses line up in front of them because they don't fear Miami's shooters. And why would they? The Heat are making just 30% of their 3s so far. | 12 | 0-4 |
| 24 | Warriors | The Warriors have missed on just about every draft pick in recent memory but they appear to have been dead on with Yaxel Lendeborg. The rookie is averaging just under 22 PPG with nine boards and almost five assists a night to go with it. He had 31, 12 and 6 against Denver on Monday to earn Golden State its first win after opening with three losses. | -- | 1-3 |
| 25 | Suns | A regression from their surprise 45-win season a year ago was pretty predictable, and so far Phoenix looks to be on track for just that with a 1-2 start and their only win coming over a bad Golden State team playing without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Brandin Podziemski. | 5 | 1-2 |
| 26 | Clippers | The Clippers blitzed Sacramento on opening night and have been competitive against the Lakers and Thunder. Darius Garland is showing elite scorer chops but he's got to cut down on the turnovers. | 1 | 1-2 |
| 27 | Bucks | The Bucks have been in all their games and have some guys playing well. There's a great irony on this team in that it is outfitted with the type of shooting and secondary playmakers that would suit Giannis Antetokounmpo perfectly. Of course, with him in Miami the Bucks are not a good team. But they did get in the win column against Indiana after three straight losses to start the year. | 2 | 1-3 |
| 28 | Nets | Tough loss for Brooklyn on Tuesday at Boston, where they got 51 points from Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. and a last-second game-tying 3 from Mikel Brown Jr. to push the game to overtime, where Jayson Tatum wound up hitting a buzzer beater to send the Nets to 0-4. | -- | 0-4 |
| 29 | Bulls | Caleb Wilson Jr. looks like a home-run pick The rookie is averaging 21 and 7 to open his career and has made multiple highlight-reel plays showcasing through-the-roof ball skills for a guy his size. Unlimited potential. The Bulls are 1-3. | 2 | 1-3 |
| 30 | Kings | Darius Acuff Jr. is the first player in history to take at least 20 shots in each of his first four games on his way to an NBA record 93 attempts to open his career. He has made 34% of them. The Kings are 0-4. | -- | 0-4 |
Back
Szczyt
| Oświadczenie o prywatności Warunki użytkowania Kontakt z nami |
Odśwież
|
All the best breaking news stories from Apex Football Lite. Optimised for feature phones and low end Android devices, Apex Football Lite helps users with legacy devices and poor network connectivity access the latest football news and live scores. Particularly relevant for breaking football news in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.