Yahoo Sports Ranks Rockets as Fifth-Best Team in Western Conference

The Houston Rockets were viewed as a top-three Western Conference contender after their flurry of offseason activity by seemingly everyone. And there wasn't much of a debate.

Any time a 52-win team adds Kevin Durant, one of the game's greatest scorers of all-time, they instantly become better. Especially a team loaded with young prospects, like Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Tari Eason.

Then disaster struck.

Starting point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending ACL injury.

The Rockets were still viewed as a top-five team in the West, because a trio of Durant, Sengun, and Thompson is really good, especially on paper.

Granted, Houston’s inability to replace VanVleet was well chronicled but Reed Sheppard and Thompson seemed capable of patching up the point guard duties.

At least that was the plan, as Rockets coach Ime Udoka leaned into what the Rockets had most: wing depth and size.

Udoka morphed the double-big lineup into the jumbo lineup, starting Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Durant, along with Steven Adams and Sengun.

Thus far, it hasn't quite gone according to plan. Sheppard has struggled as a floor general (aside from garbage time in the Rockets' victory over the Brooklyn Nets -- a game that was over after the first quarter).

And Thompson isn't quite a point guard, although he's a good passer and has the ability to find open teammates for quality looks.

Thompson is best when using his athleticism to get to the cup in the halfcourt or getting out on the break. And his lack of a reliable jumper doesn't help (although he's been working on that part of his game).

The Rockets' 1-2 start has caused them to slide in virtually all of the power rankings, as many are seemingly not nearly as high on them as they were entering the season.

However, Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Ben Rohrbach still has a favorable view of Houston, ranking them seventh overall in the league.

Rohrbach's assessment is below.

"Amen Thompson was there to settle us down, despite Houston’s early struggles without their point guard. “We have championship-level expectations, so just trying to play our best game every game,” the Rockets forward said. “Bad games happen, but we're still trying to win those."

All told, Rohrbach has the Rockets ranked fifth in the Western Conference, based on his list.