Have the Houston Rockets Peaked?

After a strong start to the season, the Houston Rockets have struggled since the All-Star break, losing 11 of their last 16 games, showing signs of team that may have already peaked.

Mar 4, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) reacts to a call in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

After starting the season red hot, making their way as high as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets have struggled in the latter stretch of the year, and may have seen their better days pass behind them.

Houston, now losers of 11 of its last 16 games, has found itself slipping in the standings and struggling to find the consistency it had earlier in the season.

Injuries have played a part in its recent struggles with veteran guard Fred VanVleet still dealing with an ankle issue and forward Tari Eason being in and out of the lineup for injury management, but it hasn't been the missing pieces that have been the problem as of late, it's been the team's effort as Head Coach Ime Udoka described.

"It's hard to win when you give up 67 in the first half, play uninspired, lack of physicality, throwing the ball all over the gym and don't look like we care at times," Udoka said after Tuesday night's loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Ime Udoka expected more from the Rockets in Indiana tonight given the players that rested yesterday.

"It's hard to win when you give up 67 in the first half, play uninspired, lack of physicality, throwing the ball all over the gym and don't look like we care at times." pic.twitter.com/ixv6QjcVpN

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 5, 2025

Despite their shooting struggles and playmaking issues, the one thing that was holding the Rockets together was their consistent effort and hard play on a nightly basis, but maybe that's what made their record look like fool's gold.

The Western Conference loaded up at the deadline, while Houston stayed put. General Manager Rafael Stone felt like the team he currently had was good enough to make a run, and he wanted to see it through, but maybe he was wrong.

Jalen Green has still had issues with offensive consistency this season, though he has been the one constant in the team's starting five all season long, as he has yet to miss a game. All-Star center Alperen Şengün has been a floor setter for the squad, but hasn't necessarily been able to put the team over the top.

The same could be said for VanVleet and forward Dillon Brooks. Amen Thompson, however, showed a glimpse of how he can make the Rockets a dangerous team after his red-hot start to 2025, but he has cooled down since.

It seems like the sample size for this current Houston squad is big enough to see that it has gone as far is it could. Now, does this mean the Rockets go in heavy pursuit this offseason to acquire a big-name superstar? Do they move on from some of their core guys in Green or Şengün?

There's certainly some hard questions that Houston will have to answer following the conclusion of its season, but it seems like its better days are behind it this time around.

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