NBA: 3 teams that should still be optimistic despite their slow start

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets‘ season has been a strange roller coaster so far this year. Their season starts with game cancellations, then the James Harden trade, and now they have switched from an offensive team with Harden to a defensive-minded team that plays extremely hard.

Frankly, the Rockets are talented enough to be a playoff team with the guys on their roster. Christian Wood who unfortunately suffered a sprained ankle in their last game, is playing at an All Star level. John Wall and Victor Oladipo are also playing well.

Whether Houston decides to trade, re-sign, or let someone else in the league take Oladipo after this season, the reality its in Victor Oladipo’s best interests to play well and for the Rockets to have a good season as well. If Oladipo, Wall, and Wood each have a good season then I think the Rockets can get in the playoffs anywhere between the 5th-8th seed.

Even though the Rockets no longer have James Harden who is arguably a top 5 NBA player, the Rockets seem to be energized by him being gone. Under new head coach Stephen Silas, it’s as if the Rockets are off to a fresh start. Opponents are shooting under 50 percent from the field, and under 35 percent from the 3-point line as well. Houston’s new identity is defense, which has been a total flip from the James Harden era.

The last case for the Rockets is the way the standings currently sit in the Western Conference right now. The 4-8 seeds in the West right now each have 12 wins. The Rockets are in the 10th seed currently with 11 wins. So if a team or two falls off and the Rockets can stay hot, by early next week they can jump up 4-5 spots in the standings.