Rockets Beginning to Earn Respect

The Houston Rockets are letting opponents know they are ready to compete.

Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) controls the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) during the fourth quarter in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are beginning to prove themselves to the rest of the league as a team to be taken seriously.

After going 18-9 to start the season, the Rockets have played well enough for a decent sample size that has people believing in them more now than ever.

Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale believes the Rockets have arrived and are here to stay for a long time.

"Suggesting the Rockets are here temporarily or focusing solely on what happens in the postseason nevertheless misses the mark. They don't just have a top-two defense and top-seven net rating. They have the fifth-best point differential against teams that rank in the top 10 of that category. This isn't a fluke. It's an arrival," Favale writes.

The Rockets had a deep run to the NBA Cup semifinals, which is a sign of what could be coming, but the team still has a lot to prove not only to others, but themselves. There's still many games left in the season, and the Rockets cannot rest on their laurels amidst a very hot start.

The Rockets will now head north of the border for their next game to take on rising star RJ Barrett and the Toronto Raptors. Tipoff is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. ET inside Scotiabank Arena.

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