CBS Sports Gives Rockets 'B' as Midseason Report Card Grade

Tuesday night's victory over the San Antonio Spurs easily ranks as the Houston Rockets' biggest victory of the season. Especially when considering how the first game went, with Houston getting beat by double-figures.

Although the game was closer than what the 121-110 final score would indicate.

In this game, the Rockets played from behind for much of the night, and pulled away late, winning 111-106.

Houston also had a well-balanced approach, on both ends of the floor. Offensively, they had five fringe 20-point scorers.

Reed Sheppard led the way off the bench, with 21 points on 4-of-10 from deep.

Defensively, the Rockets suffocated Spurs superstar center Victor Wembanyama, leading to 14 points on 5-of-21, as Rockets coach Ime Udoka gave several players the assignment of being Wembanyama's primary defender.

The Rockets have had an otherwise roller coaster of a season.

Although they've won games against the Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, they've also lost to the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.

The season is now halfway over.

We're at that point.

Now it's time for midseason report cards.

CBS Sports' Jasmyn Wimbish gave the Rockets a B.

"The Rockets have been been victim of really high highs, like a 13-4 start through the first month of the season, and some pretty big lows, like a recent three-game losing streak that saw them drop back-to-back games to the Trail Blazers, followed by their second loss of the season to a Kings team that has won just 11 games. But they've stayed the course enough to be sitting fourth in a loaded Western Conference."

Wimbish continued, noting the importance of the Rockets starting to get back to full strength and a clean bill of health.

"The Rockets have gotten a few guys back into their rotation after Tari Eason returned in late December and Dorian Finney-Smith finally made his season debut on Christmas. "

Lastly, Wimbish noted the positive effect of Eason's presence on Amen Thompson.

"Getting Eason, who is shooting 46.9% on nearly five 3-point attempts per game, back gives the Rockets more spacing on the floor. That allows someone like Thompson to use his athleticism to attack the rime at a higher rate, where he can either finish with an emphatic dunk or kick it out the perimeter where the Rockets now have a wealth of shooters at their disposal."

The Rockets have 12 more games until the All-Star break.

Five of them will be road games, while seven will be played inside Houston's Toyota Center.