Houston Rockets' Starting 5 Underrated?
The Houston Rockets' starting lineup looks a lot different than it did a year ago.
While Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun are mainstays from last season, point guard Fred VanVleet and small forward Dillon Brooks have completely shaken up how the lineup plays.
Bleacher Report ranked all 30 starting lineups in the NBA so far this season and pegged the Rockets at No. 17.
"These five have routinely trounced over any and everything in their path, racking up a hulking plus-13.0 net rating over 189 minutes," Bleacher Report writes. "Şengün, an early favorite in the Most Improved Player Award race, has the offense humming, while VanVleet, Brooks and new head coach Ime Udoka have gotten the defense going.
Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr.
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If the lineup is playing well and the numbers reflect that, then why are they ranked in the bottom half of the league? Part of it is how well other lineups project, but there are questions about whether the starting lineup's play can be sustained.
"Brooks' 50.8/50.0/82.1 shooting slash is a prime candidate for regression, for instance," Bleacher Report writes. "And who knows whether the young Rockets will stay committed on the defensive end over the course of this 82-game marathon. It's still a start worth celebrating, though, even if it may not have a ton of staying power."
If the Rockets' starting lineup can keep playing at the level it is currently at, it will only be a matter of time until it gets the respect it deserves.
The Rockets are back at home tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
