One Houston Rocket Statistic That May Surprise You for This Season

The Houston Rockets have a chance to do something on offense they haven't done in almost a decade.

Mar 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) dribbles the in front of San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Throughout the 2025-26 season, the Houston Rockets have tried to make up for the absence of their on- and off-court leader, Fred VanVleet. VanVleet suffered a potential season-ending injury before the start of training camp, which sent the Rockets scrambling and changed the team's dynamic.

VanVleet was brought in to usher in a new era for the Rockets, as they moved away from rebuilding seasons toward a more competitive team. The Rockets' roster at the time was among the youngest in the NBA.

Having one of the youngest rosters in the league meant turnovers would be high, assists would be low, and wins would be hard to come by. In the season before VanVleet joined the team, the Rockets ranked last in assists and 25th in turnovers. Of course, that is not a winning formula for any team.

VanVleet's arrival, along with the hiring of Ime Udoka, turned that around immediately, as the Rockets had their lowest turnover season in franchise history and went from last in assists to 23rd, which isn't a huge jump but is still better than the previous season.

With VanVleet out all season to this point and possibly the rest of the season, the Rockets have had different players step up as the primary ball handler.

From Amen Thompson to Reed Sheppard and on most nights, Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant, it has been a collective effort all season. That has led to more turnovers than in previous seasons and, at times, a stagnant offense, as the Rockets dont have a true point guard on the active roster.

Even with the struggles at times this season, the Rockets still have a chance to do something they haven't done in almost a decade.

The Rockets’ Assist Number to Finish the Season Could Be Their Best in Years

The Rockets' assist numbers last season had gone down compared to the season before. The Rockets only finished with 23 assists per game last season, which was 29th in the NBA.

This season, the Rockets aren't among the best passing teams, but they have improved their assists per game. They are averaging 24.7 assists, which is 25th in the NBA this season .

If the Rockets finish with 25 assists or more, it would be the first time they have accomplished that feat since the 2016-17 season. Yes, assists are up across the league, but for a team that doesn't have a traditional point guard and has several new players, it is still an accomplishment.

The Rockets, on most nights, aren't going to beat teams with their ball movement and crisp passes, but their assist numbers have improved from the previous season, which isn't something most people expected, especially given the Rockets' current roster construction.