The Houston Rockets Continue to Show Improvement From the Free-Throw Line

The Houston Rockets have done many things right the last two seasons since moving on from the rebuilding years after the James Harden trade. The Rockets have become one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, going from the bottom five in the league in 2022-23 to a top-five team last season.

The Rockets have gone from a middle-of-the-pack rebounding team to the best rebounding team in the league in 2024-25. The Rockets were so dominant last season that it ranked as their best offensive rebounding season in over 50 years.

That led to the Rockets having their best season since 2020. The Rockets won 52 games and finished second in the tough Western Conference. It was also their first playoff appearance since that 2020 season. Despite the many positives in the last two seasons, they have struggled in some areas.

The Rockets have shown improvement from the free-throw line to start the 2025-26 season.

Even with their success in the last two seasons, the Rockets have had issues on the offensive end. The Rockets ranked in the bottom 10 last season in 3-point percentage. The Rockets were also a middle-of-the-pack overall offensive team, which played a big part in their trade for Kevin Durant.

So far this season, both areas have been strengths for the Rockets. The Rockets rank first in 3-point percentage and offensive rating, which have been among the biggest surprises of the NBA season. Another area where the Rockets have shown improvement is at the charity stripe.

Despite the 52 wins, the Rockets ranked last in the NBA in free-throw percentage, which at times cost them games. The Rockets knew they couldn't keep leaving points on the board, especially if they wanted to take that next step this season.

Through eight games, the Rockets are getting to the line the second most times in the NBA per game at 30.4. They are not only getting to the line over 30 times a game but also shooting a better percentage once they do get there.

This season, the Rockets are shooting 79 percent from the free-throw line, which is over five percentage points better than last season. One reason for that is that Alperen Sengun improved his free-throw shooting. Sengun is shooting 74.6 percent from the line, which is a career high for the Rockets star. Sengun is shooting a career-high 8.4 free throw attempts per game, and his improvement from the charity stripe could go a long way to the Rockets winning more games.

The Rockets are expecting to take that next step this season with the addition of Kevin Durant and the continued ascension of their young stars, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun. As the games get tougher and every point counts, the continued improvement from the free-throw line could become a significant factor as the season goes on.