1 Stat the Houston Rockets desperately need to improve in 2024-25

The Houston Rockets are 5-3. Nobody is complaining about that.

This team plays with energy. The Rockets are, as the saying goes, dogs. Watching them is infinitely satisfying - as long as they're your team.

It's satisfying, but it's not necessarily breathtaking. The Rockets seek to bludgeon you. Their Defensive Rating of 108.0 ranks fourth in the NBA. That should come as no surprise.

By contrast, their 7th-best 115.5 Offensive Rating comes as a shock. Critics of this team have observed that their offense is simplistic. The Rockets do not conduct a beautiful sympathy. They play a brutal brand of death metal. The offense is working, but if they don't make some changes, it may not work much longer.

Rockets falling short in key statistic

The Rockets' 52.8 Assist Percentage ranks 29th in the NBA. Only the 76ers assist on fewer of their made field goals (52.5%). Their Offensive Rating of 108.1 ranks 26th in the league. As a general rule, ball movement leads to good offense.

The Rockets have been an exception. They've relied heavily on offensive rebounding to keep their attack afloat. Houston's 36.5 Offensive Rebound Percentage is second in the league, behind only the Raptors.

Is that a sustainable strategy? It remains to be seen. The Rockets' ability to crash the offensive glass is a tremendous advantage. It's also likely not the staple of a top 10 offense by the time the season ends.

What can the Rockets do to build a more reliable offense?

Rockets need playmaking across the roster

We'll start with Alperen Sengun. He's averaging just 3.9 assists per game. Sengun is a wildly creative passer, but he needs to be quicker when responding to double teams and other forms of defensive pressure.

That's not to put all the blame on Sengun. The Rockets are too stagnant when he has the ball on the interior. More off-ball screening and cutting would create more targets for him to pass to in those situations.

What else could the Rockets do? Well, it's incumbent on Jalen Green to find more than 3.1 dimes a night. His primary objective is to score, but he could look to drive and kick more often.

How about more on-ball reps for Amen Thompson? That's a risky proposition. Thompson is one of Udoka's most reliable contributors, but his ability to generate offense in the halfcourt sets remains suspect. Still, he is one of the most gifted passers on the team. Increasing Thompson's usage could help the Rockets improve their Assist Percentage.

Ultimately, the team is having a successful season. The results speak for themselves. The Rockets could continue to play the style they've been playing, but if they begin to stagnate, they'll have to do something to vary their offense.

For now, they're 5-3.