https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2025-26-week-21 #9 Houston RocketsLast Week:9 Record: 39-24 OffRtg: 116.8 (7) DefRtg: 112.1 (8) NetRtg: +4.8 (6) Pace: 96.8 (29) The Rockets have alternated wins and losses for their last six games, sliding back to fourth place in the West. The first five of those games were all within five points in the last five minutes, but they lost by 25 in San Antonio on Sunday. Three takeaways The Rockets were outscored by 30 points from 3-point range in Washington last Monday, but they were a plus-14 in the restricted area and a plus-13 from the free throw line, beating the Wizards by five. It was also the first time since Christmas that they had an offensive rebounding percentage of 50% or higher. They rank third in offensive rebounding percentage and 22nd in defensive rebounding percentage since losing Steven Adams for the season, having ranked first (by a huge margin) and fifth prior. The Rockets’ win over Portland on Friday was the sixth time that they allowed less than a point per possession. Reed Sheppard started in place of Jabari Smith Jr., had three blocks, and is now averaging 5.0 deflections per 36 minutes, fifth most among 212 players who’ve played at least 1,000 minutes this season. The Rockets have struggled with their clutch offense, and they lost to the Warriors on Thursday when Kevin Durant missed a couple of critical free throws at the end of overtime. But Alperen Sengun had three buckets to tie or take the lead in the final 1:45 of regulation, and he now leads the league with seven field goals (on 15 attempts) to tie or take the lead in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime. Coming up: With their loss in San Antonio on Sunday, the Rockets are 5-7 within the top six in the West, with eight of those 12 games having been within five points in the last five minutes. They have five games remaining within the West’s top six, two each against the Lakers and Wolves and a visit to Denver on Wednesday. That’s the end of a stretch of five games in seven days and they’ll be at a rest disadvantage against the Nuggets. They’re 4-1 in rest-disadvantage games after their win over Portland last week. Week 21: vs. TOR, @ DEN, vs. NOP
