The Rockets are the most confusing team in the NBA and it's absolutely stunning

The Houston Rockets have the best Offensive Rating in the NBA (123.4), and the lowest Assist Percentage in the NBA (57.6%).

Weird.

It's not what you'd expect. When fans picture an elite NBA offense, they think ball movement. A team has a well-designed system wherein they work together to generate the best possible shots.

So what are the Rockets doing?

Rockets run an unorthodox offense

Partly, the team's historic 40.8% Offensive Rebounding Percentage is driving their success.

For context, the next-best mark in that stat is the Trail Blazers' 35.8%. The Pistons come third at 35.3%, and the Suns are fourth at 34.6%. Notice anything?

That's right - there's a gap. The difference between the Rockets and the Blazers is comparable to the gap between the Blazers and the 16th-ranked Nets (30.6). The Rockets aren't just the best offensive rebounding team in the league. They're almost inarguably the best offensive rebounding team in NBA history.

That's a huge factor, but it doesn't fully account for the problem. The Rockets were an elite offensive rebounding team last year, and they had the 12th-best Offensive Rating in the NBA.

If they're not moving the ball better than last year, what gives?

Rockets made a massive roster upgrade

Astute readers know where this is going.

The game plan is similar to last year's. The Rockets run a fairly rudimentary offense, and supplement it with league-best offensive rebounding. Every set is designed to either let Alperen Sengun make a decision or get the ball to their best scorer.

The best scorer is the difference.

Kevin Durant is the difference. His ability to score in isolation is simply more reliable than Jalen Green's, and he commands more gravity. The Rockets get more easy shots when defenses are so concerned with guarding their best perimeter scorer.

So, there's your explanation. The Rockets retained their league-best offensive rebounding while upgrading their offensive roster. That's why they have the best Offensive Rating in the NBA despite having the league's lowest Assist Percentage.

Is that sustainable?

Rockets could use some diversification

For the most part, yes.

The Rockets shouldn't overhaul their offense. Why would they? Why fix something that isn't broken?

That said, come playoff time, the Rockets don't want to be predictable. Teams will adjust to counter them on the offensive glass, and they'll need another source of offense when that happens. So, some more ball movement might be ideal, but it's not a pressing concern:

Despite any weird statistical quirks.