3 Reasons to be optimistic about the Rockets' .500 start

The Houston Rockets are .500. Is that a good thing?

It's a difficult call. If the Rockets finish the season with 41 wins, they'll have replicated last year's total. Nobody's going to hang a banner or throw a parade, but it wouldn't be an abject failure either.

It would be a lateral move. That's fine. The Rockets had the largest increase in wins in the NBA in 2023-24. That was never going to be a linear trend. As long as the team doesn't regress, fans should be satisfied.

Yet, a .500 record feels disappointing, right? The Rockets have only faced one team that feels like a lock for the playoffs (the Grizzlies). Otherwise, the schedule is only getting harder. It's fair to wish that the team had more wins at this juncture.

Here are three reasons to be optimistic about the team anyway.

1. Steven Adams just got back

Adams made his Rockets debut against the Spurs in Monday's contest. He wasted no time making an impact.

Adams was +11 in his 14 minutes of action. His impact was palpable. Adams created ample space for Jalen Green and the Rockets' guards with his bruising screens. He controlled the glass and finished some tough buckets inside - at least, buckets that would be tough for a man who wasn't carved from granite.

Adams' availability remains a question. Still, it stands to reason that he'll suit up for the Rockets as often as he can. When he does, he'll make a positive impact on the squad.

2. Alperen Sengun will improve

Jalen Green is stealing the headlines. He's been fantastic. The previously inconsistent guard is averaging an astonishing 28.8 points per game with a True Shooting % (TS%) of 58.3%.

This is not what most fans expected. When the Rockets handed extensions to Green and Alperen Sengun this summer, most agreed that Green's deal was questionable, while Sengun's was distinctly team-friendly. So far, the inverse looks true. Sengun is averaging 14.8 points per game with a 46.1 TS%.

That's not going to last. Sengun is recovering from an injury, and he's likely shaking off the cobwebs. Fans should expect his production to creep back to its normal levels as the season progresses.

Can he and Green thrive simultaneously? That's a different matter. Sengun's production may come at the expense of Green's in time. Still, the Rockets have two players who are capable of stuffing the stat sheet. That's always better than having one, whether they complement each other or not.

3. The Rockets' Net Rating is encouraging

The Rockets are .500. You'd assume that their Net Rating fell outside of the league's top 10. Insert the appropriate colloquialism about assumptions.

The Rockets' Net Rating of 4.9 ranks 6th in the entire league. Granted, that's slightly misleading. The top 4 teams all have a Net Rating in the double digits. Then, there's the Magic at 6.8, and finally, the Rockets.

Still, their win/loss record doesn't reflect that Net Rating. Houston's 113.5 Offensive Rating is particularly encouraging. That's ninth in the NBA, and last year, the team's offense was anemic.

It's still simplistic. The Rockets could add a few wrinkles to their attack. There's a lot that this team could change in their bid to qualify for the playoffs.

Perhaps that's the best reason to be optimistic of all.