The Rockets Need Every Piece To Put Together A Legitimate Run

The Houston Rockets have built their team intentionally to have complementary pieces instead of a single dominant force on the court. Because of this team construction, the Rockets need all of their pieces on the floor to compete at the highest level.

Dec 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) points as he brings the ball up the court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets have taken years to craft their ideal team in the vision of Head Coach Ime Udoka. Drafting players like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr., to acquiring players like Kevin Durant and Fred VanVleet have all been part of Houston's plan to return to contention with a tough and physical team.

Now that the Rockets have the pieces in place, they are ready to compete. However, their team isn't built in a way to compete if they don't have each of their pieces working at a high level and complementing the team's efforts.

Sengun is the play initiator and the team's best decision maker with the ball in his hands. Durant plays off Sengun's gravity, taking advantage of the open spaces with efficient isolation scoring.

Thompson and Tari Eason fill the lanes on defense, causing chaos with deflections and steals while playing the team's best point-of-attack defense. Smith Jr. also contributes to the team's defense while hitting three-pointers at a high clip.

Each of these players are necessary for the Rockets to compete against the league's top teams. Eason's injury has given more defensive responsibility to Thompson along with his already increased offensive responsibilities.

Offensively, the Rockets have been experimenting with giving Thompson lead guard duties, which has had varying rates of success in the first part of the season. More energy is being dedicated to his offensive play, which has had some effect on his defense.

Eason's return could go a long way to help mitigate Thompson's usage on both sides of the court, as Eason is one of the team's best on-ball defenders.

Thompson would have the room to continue growing on offense alongside elite creators in Sengun and Durant.

Sengun not being on the court could be the most damaging piece to be missing if he were to go down for any significant time. Sengun is the most well-rounded player on the team, mixing elite offense with solid defense to hold down the middle for one of the league's best defensive teams.

Without his services, the Rockets would depend on playmaking from Durant, Thompson, or Reed Sheppard to keep the offense flowing. None of these players have proven they can be lead playmakers throughout a game, and the coaching staff wouldn't be able to trust it in the long term.

The Rockets work only if all of their complementary pieces are on the board and working in harmony to create their best brand of basketball.