The Houston Rockets have a "next man up" mentality.
Alperen Sengun is struggling? That's fine - Jalen Green is ready to play like a superstar. If Green cools down, Sengun is likely to heat back up.
They aren't the only two Rockets capable of getting a bucket. In fact, one statistic suggests that the Rockets are stacked with guys who can do exactly that.
Rockets among the deepest teams in the NBA
Remember before the season started when Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta declared that the Rockets were the deepest team in the NBA?
It was met as bluster. Fertitta was proud of the roster Rafael Stone had assembled. He was also entirely too biased to be taken seriously, right?
Don't be so sure. The Rockets have an astonishing 7 players averaging 10 or more points per game.
Rockets can beat you in countless ways
You read that right. Seven.
Green is leading the charge with 22.9 points per contest. His 39.4% shooting from the field is uninspiring, but given his high three-point volume (9.6 attempts per game), his efficiency is passable. The Rockets would like to see it improve, but his 53.0 True Shooting % (TS%) is passable.
Sengun is right behind him. He's averaging 16.4 points per game. The Turkish big man had a slow start to 2024-25. Rest assured that his average will creep back to last year's mark before long.
Otherwise, Jabari Smith Jr., Dillon Brooks, Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson are all averaging at least 10 points per game. Here's what's even more impressive:
Those aren't the most gifted remaining scorers on the squad.
The Rockets have many mouths to feed
Did you forget about Cam Whitmore? He's averaging just 6.5 points per game.
It's not hard to piece this one together. Whitmore is a more natural scorer than Eason or Thompson, but he's less well-rounded. The defensive impact of the former duo is keeping them on the floor. Still, it's notable that the Rockets have so much depth that a stud like Whitmore is struggling to find his way.
How about Reed Sheppard? It's overwhelmingly likely that he'll eventually score 10 or more points per game in the NBA. The 7 points he managed against the Knicks in just 14 minutes on Monday only reinforce that assertion.
Some will suggest that this stat reflects the Rockets' need to consolidate. That's a reasonable position. Let's use a more micro lens. The Rockets' depth will help them achieve their goal of reaching the playoffs in 2024-25.
If one of their men are down, another will step up.