Rockets Have Been One of League's Overly Scrutinized Teams This Season

The 2025-26 Houston Rockets were expected to be title contenders. Understandably, on several fronts.

The Rockets became the Cinderella team of last season and are loaded with youth and athleticism. Ime Udoka is universally regarded as one of the league's best coaches, especially considering the turnaround that he sparked within this very Rockets ball club.

Finishing with the second seed in the Western Conference, coupled with 52 wins in just his second season as Houston's head coach prompts expectations of continued ascension. And trading for Kevin Durant immediately immerses you into championship talks and conversations.

The season hasn't quite gone that way, in large part, due to injuries. Fred VanVleet, the team's leader and table-setter has been out all season. Steven Adams, the key to Houston's once promising offense, at least on paper, only played 32 games.

Tari Eason has missed time and has clearly been playing injured. Ditto for Alperen Sengun. Yet and still, the Rockets have won 42 of their 69 games -- a 61 percent winning clip, which puts them on pace for exactly 50 wins.

Yet and still, the conversation, especially of late, has been more about their warts. Or in some cases the perception of their warts and/or opinions about the source and origins of their warts.

For example, we've heard about the vibes being off, in terms of teamsmanship and/or collaboration. That specific discourse is generally always coming from those outside of the clubhouse, which is again, opinions generally reported as factual.

On the court, however, we see a different exhibit. After Friday night's victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Durant seized the opportunity to address the buzz about the perceived lack of support and/or alignment between Rockets players.

"When we lose, of course, we're an easy target -- I'm an easy target. Everywhere I've been, it feels like, when we lose games, it's like, 'Look at KD's body language. Look at him not smiling.' But when we're winning, and we're chest bumping and smiling, having a good time over there, it never gets talked about. That's just the name of the game."

Durant continued.

"People hate watch our team a lot so they are looking for stuff like that. Losing two games in a row brings out the vultures, in order for that not to happen we have to win basketball games and play as a unit, play together. And we'll quiet up the noise like that."

ESPN's Kendrick Perkins reported that the Rockets don't appear to like each other. He also stated that he doesn't believe the players spend time together outside of the fieldhouse.

Which is pure conjecture and speculation. The real issue has been on the hardwood. Players have been in and out of the lineup, which limits familiarity with one another's playing styles. Chemistry was always going to be a season-long process when you consider that the Rockets added three key players in Durant, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith just nine months ago.

Reed Sheppard is basically a fourth new addition because he didn't play much as a rookie. And Houston's connector in VanVleet has been out all season.

Context always matters. Yet and still, the Rockets have the fourth seed in the Western Conference.