Houston Rockets Have Seen 3-Point Shooting Improve This Season

The Houston Rockets struggled from 3-point range to start the season but have seen improvement since the start of 2025.

Feb 25, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots the ball during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

For most of the season, the Houston Rockets have leaned on their defense to reach their 37-22 record. Even with the slippage on defense since the start of 2025, the Rockets still rank No. 4 in defensive rating and No. 5 in opposing teams' points per game.

The Rockets have built a reputation of a hard-nosed team that is more comfortable playing a 95-90 game instead of a high-scoring shootout. Also, the Rockets have struggled on the offensive end for most of the season, especially from 3-point range.

In fact, the Rockets have struggled from beyond the arc the last several years, ranking at the bottom of the rankings since James Harden left. Houston has improved last season from 3-point range, finishing No. 23 in the league.

For the first few months of the 2024-25 season, the Rockets ranked No. 29 from the 3-point range. Even with Tari Eason returning to the lineup this season and the drafting of Reed Sheppard, the team took a step backward regarding their outside shooting.

The situation seemed to get even worse at the beginning of 2025 with the injury to Jabari Smith. Smith suffered a broken hand in practice on Jan. 2, and was out all of January and most of February.

The Rockets received worse news a month later when they found out Fred VanVleet would miss at least a month with an injured ankle. The Rockets were already a team that struggled from range, and many would believe that with the injuries to VanVleet and Smith, two of their best shooters, the Rockets would continue to struggle beyond the arc.

However, that has not been the case in 2025. Houston's shooting has gone from 32% in October and December to 36% since the start of 2025. For some teams, 36% may not be a big deal, but for a Rockets team that has been one of the worst shooting teams in the league, it has made a huge difference.

Dillon Brooks has been one of the biggest reasons for the turnaround. Brooks has been the Rockets' best shooter all season and has been even better since the start of 2025. Brooks has shot a blistering 40.6% from 3-point range. Jalen Green has also been on fire from downtown since January 1st, shooting 39.8 from 3-point range.

The Rockets have been able to lean on their defense all season long, even when their offense disappears. You need at least a top-10 defense, especially in the playoffs. In today's NBA, however, you do need to be able to score, especially from beyond the arc.

The Rockets may not become a top ten 3-point shooting team this season but their recent improvement will go a long way in helping them go from a nice NBA story to a real playoff contender.

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