I know the Kings were without Fox, but blowing out the same team within a matter of days is no easy task in the NBA.. and Kings have a decent roster even without Fox and a decent coaching staff... Yes, it's early and other teams are still implementing stuff, experimenting with lineups, etc... but one can definitely expect the Rockets to add more wrinkles both offensively and defensively as the season goes along. Still early, but really getting excited that this may be sustainable as long as Rockets are fortunate with health/injuries and the defensive effort remains consistent even on the road.
When was the last time this team was capable of averaging a +20 pt differential in a 4 game span regardless of opponent?
The Rockets have had the easiest schedule in the NBA so far, SRS sees this team as a 44 win outfit regardless at +1.13
I really don't understand the people downplaying this four game stretch. The Lakers without AD are still a good team. The Kings without Fox are still a good team. I mean, the Kings lost by 1 to the Warriors without Fox. And it's not that we beat them. It's that we demolished them. It's funny how the doubters seem to forget this point.
The team looks great right now. I'm mildly surprised. I also know the sample size is very small and the schedule gets very tough soon. Last year Utah started 10-3 and failed to even make the play in.
I watched the Kings last year, it is night and day......folks try to stick that GSW game without Fox .......NBA observers know better. Overall several teams like the Thunder, the Mavs have seemingly improved, even the Clippers tried to improve although Harden might implode. The Rockets are not necessarily winning by superior talent but they play harder than most teams.....like Orlando played harder than the Rockets in Game 1.
When was the last time a Rockets playoff team lost 3 straight by an average of 15 ppg and two of those opponents expected to be in the lottery? I can claim this Rockets team is clearly not a playoff team using the same reasoning process. If you play small sample size game you can pretty much conclude anything you want to.
Never said anything about the Kings being the same team as last year. Just said they have a decent roster (Sabonis, Monk, Keegan Murray, elite shooters like Huerter, and defensive dogs like Davion Mitchell). They have the same coaching staff that got the Kings playing like a professional NBA team last season. Never said they are still a 3-seed worthy team. But it's also too early to say it's night and day that the Kings are nothing like last season. And any REAL NBA observer who has watched games for the past 30 yrs knows that blowing out the same opponent in basically a back to back is very difficult in this league. Don't judge my knowledge. The Rockets aren't just winning on effort alone.. they have young talent that had been misled... hell, just getting KPJ off of this team has to symbolically feel like a +20 win swing. When you have players like Sengun with top end footwork and passing ability that nearly matches Jokic, Jalen Green with all that athleticism and shot making ability finally showing signs of coming together, and Jabari with his unblockable, high release shot... that's not effort alone. That's high end blue chip talent finally being led by an actual professional coach in Udoka and vets like FVV, DB, and Uncle Jeff who know how to win. If there is anything that is night and day, it's the communication and on-court chemistry between this Rockets team and the last few seasons... being cancer free from KPJ, Silas, and Cwood is a great feeling.
Pretty much just confirms the theory that you cannot buy yourself a team.....the Clips have basically the same record as the Kings but they have a better Net rating. Some things are inexplicable, no team is bad in the West on paper. Not Portland, not San Antonio. I know what I see and I see that the Kings were struggling prior to the Rocket games. They had a great season but I have never elevated them to royalty yet, you have to accumulate several winning seasons to do that.
So can you tell me when was the last time this team was CAPABLE of winning 4 in a row with a 20 pt average margin
don't want to drag this out any longer to derail.. but I don't think you are seeing my point. It doesn't matter how bad of a team you are or how much of a funk you are in. To get curbstomped by 20-something plus points back to back against the same team doesn't happen much in the NBA. To get beaten twice by the same team in a matter of days, sure that happens... but a complete and thorough beatdown in a back to back to the same team? And it ain't like the Kings are already tanking.
2017-18 And that's what makes this latest run so sweet and unexpected. Lets hope they keep up the team work and commitment to Defense.
Exactly. Bottom feeders lotto teams can't dominate games for this long of stretches. I'm ean 20 pt average margin is insane.
I have no problem with that saying, it does not matter much to me. It is not mutually exclusive to disrespect the Kings and give props to the Rockets, but I guess people rather hype up the Kings to make the Rockets look better. Well, the Rockets proved they do not need extra shilling. The Kings are a mediocre team by their record and the Rox beat them twice which is not an easy task.....let's just leave it at that. I am not making a fuss about it. I wish De'Aaron best recovery. Now the Laker Game tells me that is not a fluke and they are on a mission to the Playoffs and more.
I get what you are saying BUT The 2021 17 win team won 6 in a row by ~16 points per game. The last 5 of those 6 they won by ~18 per game.
