Houston Rockets: Three Areas of Focus After All-Star Break

The Houston Rockets currently sit at the fourth spot in the Western Conference. They held the No. 2 spot for some time, but after a six-game losing streak, they fell to as low as fifth before the break.

To try and regain their No. 2 spot, they need to focus on these three things throughout the rest of the season.

First, Houston's starters need to go into every game ready to win. The starters had one of their worst games this season right before the break against the Golden State Warriors. They were fatigued and did not put up any sort of fight. Ime Udoka is a coach who does not stand for a lack of effort, and he showed that in this game. The Rockets' bench got out onto the court and played extremely well, but still fell short of a 24-point comeback. For the Rockets to end this season on a strong note, all of their players must be ready going into every single matchup.

Second, the team needs to stay healthy, Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., and Jalen Green will all be 100% healthy for the second half of the season. VanVleet has been dealing with an ankle injury, Smith Jr. with a wrist injury, and Green struggling with knee soreness. A full, healthy Rockets team can cause problems for opponents, and the return of VanVleet and Smith Jr. is vital. Houston missing its veteran point guard has been detrimental, as he runs the offense and helps the team move the ball more fluidly. Furthermore, Smith Jr. had started shooting well just before his injury, and the Rockets have been in a shooting slump as of late. His return will hopefully help the team's shooting woes. Green was phenomenal in January, and it has been easy to tell he has been struggling due to his recent play. He has not been as explosive, and being healthy will be a big bonus to the team as he can get to the rim with ease again and score.

Finally, Losing streaks cannot happen again. The Rockets need to close strong and put together winning streaks to try and achieve the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. Continuing to fall in the rankings is unacceptable for a team that looked like major contenders and had one of the best defenses in the league to start the season.

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