Can The Rockets Catch Up To The West's Best?

The Western Conference Finals are officially over; the Houston Rockets and the rest of the NBA world just finished watching what it looks like for two elite teams to play at the highest level with some of the highest stakes possible in the sport.

The Houston Rockets may be coming away from this Conference finals knowing how far they are from playing at the level this year's Western Conference Finalists competed at. The Rockets weren't at that level at their best this season, but they may have laid the groundwork to improve next season to have a puncher's chance against the league's best.

One important aspect of last season was the opportunities for Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to gain more experience as on-ball initiators for the offense.

Thompson rarely had more expectations than just an off-ball slasher and defender prior to this season. And while the slashing role is still where he's most comfortable on offense, he was forced to get uncomfortable this season with a role he is still developing into NBA caliber.

Thompson has the tools to be an impactful scorer on offense, even without a consistent jump shot. The shooting around him and Alperen Şengün can cause spacing issues for both of them, but Thompson especially has learned a lot about how he is guarded and how he can still remain effective in limited spacing.

It could help him moving forward as a secondary ball handler behind Fred VanVleet, Şengün, and Kevin Durant. It creates another option for the Rockets, similarly to how the New York Knicks utilize OG Anunoby.

Sheppard was mostly a catch-and-shoot, three-point threat to begin his career, receiving more opportunities to lead the offense this season.

He has necessary growth in his horizon, as his offensive effectiveness isn't yet at a high enough level to cover his defensive short comings. VanVleet's return should help Sheppard focus on his offensive game from the bench, and he can use his knowledge gained during this season to help with his development next season.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason must become legitimate floor spacers during the regular season to help open up the floor for their non-shooting top players.

Smith Jr. showed promise during his two postseason runs as a legitimate floor spacer, but his performance sees wide fluctuations during the regular season. Eason saw the same fluctuations despite his hot start. Shooting is a big priority for the team next season, but their current players getting some better ouitcomes from three next season could provide the biggest benefit.

The Rockets main way to catch up to the league's top teams is by taking what they learned about their deficiencies and actively looking to change them over the offseason.

Thompson must improve at handling the ball against pressure and breaking down the initial defender to get to the paint; Şengün must continue improving his finishing at the rim; Eason and Smith Jr. must become more consistent shooters; and Sheppard must become more confident manipulating defenses in a lead guard role from the bench.

If each of these players reaches their top outcomes, the Rockets may not be as far off from competing against the best. However, their limits that prevented them from reaching the level of other teams are not simple fixes and will take meticulous effort in the offseason.

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