What Positives Can The Rockets Pull From A Rough First Round

The Houston Rockets have struggled to match the promise they showed to start the season, and now they're running out of time to pull any positives from their postseason.

Apr 24, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center/forward Jaxson Hayes (11) defends against Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) during the fourth quarter during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets' season is likely over. Whether their postsseason run ends to the Los Angels Lakers in a sweep, or if they find a way to extend it a few extra games, it's nearly a statistical impossibility to return ffrom an 0-3 deficit in the NBA playoffs. No one in league history is done it, and this Rockets team seems more likely to fall in a sweep than pushing the series to a Game 7.

There are many negative takeaways from this result for the Rockets, and several things that will be addressed throughout the summer. However, despite being few and far between, there are a few positives to takeaway from this series, even if it ends in four games.

The play of Jabari Smith Jr. has been a welcome sight for the Rockets. His postseason career is much more reflective of the player they hoped they would get when Houston used the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 draft.

His fearlessness when taking threes has brought mixed results during the regular season, but he's found ways to raise his level of success from beyond the arc in the postseason both years he has appeared.

Smith Jr.'s ability to space the floor is vital for a Rockets lineup that has very few shooters on the floor at any time. Without his shooting, the Rockets are missing a crucial part of their offense that can't be replaced by many other players, especially when Tari Eason isn't hitting his shots.

Eason started off the series as a positive, but he hasn't been able to repeat his performance from Game 1 in the following games. Smith Jr. has done a lot to cover for the lack of production from three-point land from the rest of the team.

Another positive has been the play of Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün in their most recent game.

If they can't trust themselves to make shots consistently, they've at least continued their efforts on the glass and attempted to get to the rim on offense. Their constant pressure at the rim puts the Lakers' defense in a bind and could lead to increased fouls.

The Rockets are truly missing Kevin Durant on offense, and Reed Sheppard hasn't been able to withstand the high pressure and handsy defense from the Lakers' defenders.

The Rockets are still trying to find some sort of success, even if they lose in four games. However, there are just a few positives they might be able to lean onto next season.