Rockets blazing start comes with unsustainable stat that could become a problem

As the Houston Rockets have begun the season with a 10-4 record, their most notable storyline has been the absolute dominance of their offense, making a remarkable turnaround from a year ago with their addition of Kevin Durant.

As it stands, they are first in offensive rating, first in offensive rebounding percentage, first in 3-point percentage and third in points per game in the NBA. Yet, they are currently dead last in 3-points attempted per game: a sign that their hot start could quickly become unsustainable at higher volume.

As potent as the Rockets offense is, they also have a number of questionable shooters on the roster that have gotten off to a hot start, meaning that there is likely some regression impending. If Houston continues to only hunt the best 3-point shots, can they truly contend in a league where shots from that area of the court have become the ultimate offensive weapon?

The Rockets must amp up their 3-point volume at some point this season

Last season, although Houston ascended to the second seed in the Western Conference, there were enough questions surrounding their offense that many did not take them seriously as championship contenders.

Most notably, they were 21st in the NBA in 3-point percentage and 20th in 3-point attempts per game, meaning that teams could stack up defensively on the interior and, at times, completely stagnate their offense.

With the addition of Durant, the hope was that the offense would be completely transformed, and, so far, it has. Yet, Durant, as one of the most effective mid-range shooters in league history, has never been a high-volume perimeter shooter (although he always makes them at a high clip).

Moreover, with the loss of Dillon Brooks in the trade and the absence of Fred VanVleet due to injury, the team lost two more viable perimeter shooters before the season even began.

So far, they have made up for the fact by getting their perimeter shots primarily off of offensive rebounds and kick-outs, allowing them to take only the highest-percentage shots from that area of the court. This has led to hot shooting starts from previous non-shooters such as Alperen Sengun and Josh Okogie.

In many ways, the team has opportunities to leverage their perimeter shot on a more consistent basis. Reed Sheppard has had an excellent start to the season, having shot 48.8% from beyond the arc, and it appears as though Jabari Smith Jr. has taken yet another leap in his offensive game.

Yet, if teams learn to shut down Houston's channels of getting their 3-point opportunities as of now, they will lose a vital component of their offensive game, leaving their status as the best offense in the NBA in serious question.