Rockets' Toughness Has Been a Focal Point of Their Season

Heading into tonight's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets are battling for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference at 21-10. After a rough stretch of hoops from early to mid-December, they have bounced back since Christmas Day with four straight wins.

Defense was a big reason why the Rockets struggled toward the end of 2025. The offense has been impressive despite the absence of Fred VanVleet, mostly due to Kevin Durant opening up a new dimension for them in the half-court. Alperen Sengun's Nikola Jokic-esque contributions have made him a legitimate All-Star candidate once again, as well.

But through its wins against the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets, Houston ranks fifth in the NBA in defensive rating (109.9).

However, one trait sticks out when describing the Rockets' overall season. Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes gave one word to describe every team thus far, but Houston's was 'relentless.'

"If the Houston Rockets are defined by one thing, it's their unparalleled pursuit of their own missed shots. No team comes close to their 39.7 percent offensive rebound rate, a figure that spikes by almost six more percentage points whenever Steven Adams is on the floor," Hughes wrote.

"Adams personally corrals 21.5 percent of Houston's misses when he's in the game, a figure bettered by only the New York Knicks Mitchell Robinson, who is arguably the greatest offensive rebounder of the modern era."

The addition of Adams has paid dividends, with the Rockets finding their niche in the form of offensive rebounding. It has sparked a league-wide meta, as some of the best teams in the NBA are succeeding with the help of scrappy bigs who fight for second-chance opportunities. Adams is the pioneer.

But, as Hughes noted, Houston's wings are doing their part too. Ime Udoka's height-infused lineups make it easier for the backcourt to grab boards, leading to players like Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Josh Okogie combining to average 5.5 offensive rebounds per game.

A lot of people thought the Rockets' rebounding hot streak would cool off, as no team in the play-by-play era has had an offensive rebounding percentage above 38%.

However, as we near the halfway point of the season, Houston is defying the odds, showing no sign of slowing down. The team is finding ways to be effective outside of scoring and getting stops, unafraid to get scrappy in the paint.