Rockets Are Dropping in the NBA's Hierarchy

Houston's lack of performance is getting picked up by analysts and power rankings around the league.

Jan 15, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) attempts to dribble the ball around Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

2026 has not been kind to the Houston Rockets thus far. They struggled through most of December, but a winning streak to end the year led people to believe that maybe things would be different, and the slump was temporary.

That hasn't been the case thus far. Since the turn of the year, the Rockets are 3-5, most recently losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half of a back-to-back. They'll face the 27-14 Minnesota Timberwolves tonight.

Such a slump has resulted in Houston dropping significantly in Bleacher Report's latest NBA power rankings. It seems that now the Rockets have fallen out of favor with media outlets when it comes to the league's hierarchy, from ESPN to The Athletic and beyond. Bleacher Report was the last major outlet to keep them that high.

Andy Bailey dropped the Rockets from third to seventh in his latest power rankings. Once up there with the Thunder and Denver Nuggets, they've now sunk to a tier outside of title contention. Houston is one spot above the Phoenix Suns and one spot behind the San Antonio Spurs.

"Ending their week with a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder probably wouldn't be a big deal in most weeks, but the Houston Rockets got thumped by 20 at home. And they're now 2-5 in their last seven, with losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings," Bailey wrote.

"For much of the season, the Rockets were able to paper over their lack of traditional playmaking by bludgeoning opponents on the offensive glass and getting some encouraging production from Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard. But neither of those up-and-comers are true point guards, and Houston might need more minutes with that kind of player on the floor."

Things have sputtered on both ends of the floor. Since Jan. 1, the Rockets rank 25th in offensive rating and 12th in defensive rating, noticeable drops from the overall season.

While the defense hasn't been as lackluster, head coach Ime Udoka has been quick to call out the team's effort and misalignment with the game plan after losses. In its last 10 losses, Houston has allowed 118.2 points per game.

With the trade deadline sitting three weeks away, one wonders if Houston will explore solutions to salvage title hopes. There is a clear hole at point guard amid the absence of Fred VanVleet, and with plenty of low-cost options available, this may be the time to make another change to the rotation.