Four key takeaways from Houston Rockets' 11-game winning streak

All good things come to an end. Once they do, all you can do is be thankful for what you had. At the moment, Houston Rockets fans have a lot to be grateful for.

This team just wrapped up an 11-game winning streak. Sure, it was ended unceremoniously. The Dallas Mavericks brutalized the surging Rockets. The Mavs may have dashed their play-in dreams in the process.

Let's zoom out. The Rockets have been among the NBA's bottom feeders for three years. In 2023-24, they're playing meaningful basketball in March and April. Their winning streak couldn't last forever, and eleven is an impressive mark.

Here are four key takeaways from the streak

4. Jalen Green has star potential

Did you give up on Green? Don't feel too badly. Most of us gave up on Green. He's spent the majority of the 2023-24 season as one of the least efficient guards in the entire league.

So much for that. Green was electrifying during this run. He won an NBA Western Conference Player of the Week award, and he'll be in the running for March's Player of the Month honors.

What changed? We'll touch on that later. One thing is clear: for one reason or another, Green started hitting shots.

Rockets fans can breathe a sigh of relief. With that said, any remaining cynicism is justified. Green has found another gear after the All-Star break in three consecutive seasons.

It feels different this time. Still, we should be apprehensive before drawing conclusions. Green isn't out of the woods yet, but he may be approaching civilization. If you'd given up on his star potential, it's time to rethink your stance.

3. Amen Thompson has a high floor

Thompson was one of the most intriguing players in the 2023 NBA draft. He had pundits reacting like a person from the Bronze Age time travelling to 2023 and being handed a smart phone - "wait, what is this?".

Thompson is one of the most impressive run-and-jump athletes the league has ever seen. Yet, he's more than just an athlete. Thompson is a walking basketball computer with immeasurable feel. Surely, he couldn't miss - right?

Not so fast, armchair scouts. Thompson shoots like - well, a person from the Bronze Age time travelling to 2023 and being handed a basketball. His handle is shaky. Thompson has been billed as a point guard, but if he can't develop those critical skills, how will he succeed?

During this run, it looks like their are a multitude of paths for Thompson. He doesn't have to be a lead guard in this league. In theory, Thompson could simply be one of the best defensive wings in the NBA.

In fact, he already is. Per CleaningTheGlass, Thompson is in the league's 93rd percentile in Block % and 96th percentile in Steal % among all of the league's wings. He's in the league's 100th percentile among the same group in both Offensive and Defensive Rebound %. This kid is an impact player already.

What does his future hold? Time will tell. Thompson may be this generation's Penny Hardaway yet, but he could also be a Shawn Marion. Either way, it's abundantly clear that there's a role for him in this league.

2. The future is bright

This may sound reductive. Hear us out. Sure, the Rockets have a lot of young talent. The consensus view wasn't nearly as high on that talent before this winning streak.

As a matter of fact, it was a source of debate heading into the 2023-24 season. The Rockets committed huge sums of money to Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. What was the point of accumulating all of this young talent just to sign veterans to carry them?

As it turns out, those concerns were wildly hyperbolic. You saw Green's stats for the month. Thompson's defensive impact has far exceeded Brooks'. Yes, the veterans have helped, but the Rockets' 2023-24 success has hinged on the development of their young core.

After all, their best player throughout most of the year has been Alperen Sengun. At 21, he almost made his first All-Star appearance this year. Meanwhile, most of this recent streak came with Sengun sidelined due to an injury.

About that...

1. The future is unknown

When a high usage player gets injured, and their team thrives in their absence, it raises inevitable questions. Is the team better without that player?

That's been the question in Sengun's absence. Against the Mavericks, the answer appeared to be a resounding "no". Dallas relentlessly trapped and double-teamed Green, and without another star creator on the floor, he had no recourse.

Sure. So, the Rockets, like every team in the NBA, need more than one star. That doesn't prove that the fit between Green and Sengun is snug. It stands to reason that Green's improved statistical production could partly owe to the space afforded by Jabari Smith Jr. That opens up the paint, where Green has been feasting in Sengun's absence.

That's not a knock on Sengun. If Green was more of a natural shooter and less of a slasher, he'd likely average another assist or two per game. Still, it feels reasonable to question the fit between this duo.

Next season, look for the Rockets to make adjustments. Sengun can still open up space on the interior for Green as a dribble hand-off hub, and by passing out of the high post. Perhaps those adjustments will be enough to maximize this duo's combined output.

Still, Thompson's lack of a jump shot looms over this team's roster construction. All told, the final iteration of this Rockets team remains to be seen.

That's OK! The Rockets have time. This core is young. If the pieces all fit, they fit - and if they don't, the Rockets will make a trade.

Sometimes, even a young core's time together has to come to an end.