Houston Rockets are one of NBA's hottest shooting teams

The Houston Rockets have a top-four record in the entire NBA this season and for the most part, it has been due to their elite defense. For the first three months of the season, the Rockets had a top two defense.

However, their shooting during that time left a lot to be desired. For most of the season, everyone outside of Dillon Brooks shot a career-low from 3-point range. The Rockets were No. 29 from beyond the arc from the start of the season until Dec. 31.

It was disappointing for most, considering the Rockets did improve their shooting last season to No. 23. That may not seem like much of an improvement, but considering Houston was one of the worst shooting teams the previous three seasons, it was a step in the right direction.

The Rockets depended on their defense game in and game out until shots started to fall. Ime Udoka and the rest of the Rockets didn't seem to be concerned about the slow start from the 3-point line as they felt eventually shooting would improve.

The Rockets patience finally is starting to pay off, as the the team has went from bottom of the league to one of the best shooting teams since the start of 2025. In the last 12 games the Rockets rank No. 6 in the NBA in 3-point shooting.

They went from 32% from downtown the first two months of the season to 38.8% from Jan. 1. That has helped the Rockets go 9-3 in those 12 games despite their defense dropping slightly during that period.

It starts with Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet, who are shooting 46.2 and 43.4%, respectively, in those 12 games. Both started the season shooting in the low 30s from beyond the arc. The turnaround by those two players is significant because they take the most 3-pointers on the team per game.

It has helped the Rockets rank in the top eight points per game in January at 117.4. The Rockets know that their defense will ultimately keep them at the top of the standings. However, in today's NBA, if you don't have a top ten offense, it is much harder to defeat elite teams continuously.

The Rockets are back in action Monday as they visit Boston to take on the Celtics.

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