Rockets' Elite Offense Is On The Shoulders Of Wings And Bigs

The Houston Rockets have maintained one of the best offenses in the league despite the lack of a true playmaking point guard on the perimeter. Their style of play could be sustainable for the future because of their skilled bigger players.

Nov 1, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) drives to the basket during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

One of the major concerns with this version of the Houston Rockets was their lack of a true point guard to help organize the offense and create efficient shot attempts for the rest of the team. The Rockets have mostly negated the potential negative influence left from Fred VanVleet's absence, and they have created a formidable offensive attack with their unconventional offense.

The offense begins with Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. Sengun is the top passer for the team, averaging around seven assists per game to lead the squad.

His passing creativity and vision have been integral for the team's offense. They have been able to create open shots for perimeter shooters and easy layups in the paint for other big men.

Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., and Reed Sheppard have been some of the biggest beneficiaries of Sengun's passing, earning several open shots per game to help space the floor for the offense.

Sengun has a unique ability to manage the offense as a center with top tier ball skills. He is able to handle the ball on the perimeter without turning it over, and he can make passes on the move while keeping the threat of his scoring.

Steven Adams and Clint Capela have also been able to thrive in lineups with Sengun because of his versatility. Sengun has been able to stretch his scoring further from the basket, creating space for his fellow big men and Amen Thompson to create near the basket.

Thompson is another player who has helped the Rockets manage their offense without VanVleet.

Thompson still hasn't developed the tightest handle, but he has shown creativity with his passes and an ability to get into the paint at will. He is steadily improving his ability to get shots to open players and create shots on the perimter for his teammates.

The combination of Thompson and Sengun have somewhat limited the impact of their lack of a true point guard. Durant has also shouldered some of the playmaking responsibility with pick-and-rolls with Sengun.

If the offense can continue its hot shooting and elite scoring rate, the presence of a point guard may not be necessary.

The point guard is intended to lead the offense and keep the scoring efficient. The Rockets have been able to do so without a distributing lead guard, and the offense still ranks as one of the top offenses in the league.