COUNTDOWN TO LIFTOFF

How Houston Rockets' young core and new additions can fuel a playoff return

How Houston Rockets' young core and new additions can fuel a playoff return
The Rockets open the season against Charlotte. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

Houston Rockets

Last season: 41-41.

COACH: Ime Udoka (Second season with Rockets, third season overall, 92-72).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 25 vs. Charlotte.

DEPARTURES: C Boban Marjanovic, SF Reggie Bullock.

ADDITIONS: G Reed Sheppard, F Thon Maker.

BetMGM championship odds: 80-1.

What to expect

After making a 19-game improvement in the first season under Udoka, the Rockets have adopted a playoffs-or-bust mantra this season. They have reason to believe that could happen with a team that is virtually unchanged from last season. The additions of Dillon Brooks and Fred Van Vleet before last season added much-needed veteran experience and leadership to help Houston’s young players develop. Now recent high draft picks Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson must all take a step forward for the Rockets to reach the postseason for the first time since James Harden led the team in 2020.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: The Rockets return their entire starting lineup from last season and should be improved in the second year together. Van Vleet and Brooks meshed immediately with their new teammates last season to help the Rockets get out the NBA’s basement and inch closer to a return to the postseason. Defense should again be a strength of the team after the Rockets ranked ninth on defense in their first season under Udoka. Center Alperen Sengun returns after making a big jump last season in his third year in the league. He led the team with career highs in both points (21.1) and rebounds (9.3) before an ankle injury cost him the last 19 games of the season.

The not-so-good: Green, the second overall pick in 2021, has shown flashes of greatness in his first three seasons but has mostly been known for his inconsistency. Entering the last year of his rookie deal, the 22-year-old must improve and become more of a leader on this team, or it could be his last year with the Rockets. Amen Thompson, taken fourth in the 2023 draft, had a lackluster rookie season where he missed 20 games with injuries to put him behind Houston’s other young stars. He’ll have to play catch up this year if he hopes to get significant playing time after the Rockets added Sheppard in this draft.

Players to watch

Many around the league are eager to see how Sheppard’s elite shooting in his one season at Kentucky will translate to the NBA. Though undersized, the Rockets believe that his 3-point shooting will be a major asset to this team as it tries to make another jump this season. Sheppard, selected third in the draft, shot 52.1% from 3-point range and made 83.1% of his free throws last season. The addition of his shooting and more consistent play from Green could be the recipe the Rockets need to make a playoff push.

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Fresh info surfaces in comeback effort for Astros' Yordan Alvarez

The short-handed Astros beat the Rockies, 5-3. Composite Getty Image.

Jose Altuve hit a go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning to move into second place on Houston's career hits list and the Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night to win their 12th straight series.

 

Altuve went 2 for 5 and gave the Astros a 4-2 lead with his 2,315th career hit, moving him past Jeff Bagwell. Craig Biggio leads the franchise with 3,060 career hits.

Altuve spoke about his relationship with Bagwell, and more after the game.

 

Hunter Brown (9-3) allowed two runs on six hits in six innings. He struck out eight to join Lance McCullers Jr. as the only Astros pitchers to reach 500 in their first 86 appearances.

Bennett Sousa pitched the ninth for his third save.

Jake Meyers had a one-out double off Austin Gomber in the first and Altuve and Cam Smith followed with back-to-back singles for a 1-0 lead in the first.

Rookie Shay Whitcomb hit his first home run 451 feet to left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the second.

 

Cooper Hummel singled and Mauricio Dubón drew a walk off reliever Angel Chivilli (1-4) in the sixth. Altuve drove a two-out pitch from Jake Bird to center to score both. Smith followed with an RBI single for a 5-2 lead.

 

Thairo Estrada went 3 for 4 and singled and scored ahead of Mickey Moniak's 12th home run to tie it 2-2 in the Rockies' second.

Gomber allowed two runs on eight hits in five innings.

Houston has won three in a row and 16 of 21.

Key moment

Brown struck out Hunter Goodman in the third for No. 500 and then fanned Jordan Beck swinging on a 99.8 mph fastball — his fastest this season — to end the inning.

Key stat

The Rockies have lost all 14 series at home, dropping the first two games 13 times.

Up next

Astros LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 3.34 ERA) starts Thursday's series finale opposite Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-9, 5.56).

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