Just two games into a season brimming with lofty expectations, the Houston Rockets are already facing a reality check. After being hailed as a top-six team in the league by many pundits, including NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin, the Rockets have tumbled to 14th in his latest power rankings following an 0-2 start. While the losses came against quality opponents, the early returns have exposed a critical flaw that could define their season: the glaring absence of a true floor general.
The preseason optimism in Houston was justified. The team added future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant to a young core that secured the second seed in the West last year. However, the season-ending injury to Fred VanVleet has proven to be a devastating blow, creating a vacuum at point guard that the current roster is struggling to fill.
Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) and center Alperen Sengun (28) stand on the court during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Core of the Problem: A Team Without a Conductor
Kurt Helin’s rationale for dropping the Rockets pinpoints the exact issue. The experiment of running the offense through Amen Thompson has highlighted his limitations as a distributor.
Kevin Durant’s Missing Touches: As Helin notes, Durant is fourth on the team in usage rate in clutch minutes. An offensive system that fails to prioritize one of the greatest scorers in history during winning time is a fundamentally broken system.
Reed Sheppard’s Growing Pains: The rookie, thrust into a larger role than anticipated, has looked exactly like what he is: a young player not yet ready for prime time. His 6-of-22 (27.3%) shooting and even assist-to-turnover ratio underscore his current struggles.
The result is an offense that ranks 20th in efficiency—a significant step back from last season—despite the addition of Durant.
Strengths and Shortcomings: The Jumbo Lineup’s Double-Edged Sword
The Rockets’ signature double-big lineup with Alperen Şengun and Steven Adams continues to be a rebounding force, leading the league in offensive boards. However, this strength is being negated by a lack of offensive structure. Every extra possession is less valuable when the offense that follows is disjointed and lacks direction.
The Rockets are at a crossroads just two games into the season. Coach Ime Udoka is rightly being given time to figure out the rotations, but the personnel issue at point guard may be beyond a simple coaching adjustment. The upcoming soft spot in the schedule—featuring games against Brooklyn, Toronto, and a Tatum-less Boston—offers a chance to right the ship and stack wins.
However, if Reed Sheppard doesn’t make a rapid leap or if a solution isn’t found via trade, the Rockets’ ceiling will be severely limited. A team with Kevin Durant cannot afford to waste a season. The early power ranking plunge is a warning flare: Houston’s front office must decide if they are comfortable with their current point guard options, or if they need to make a bold move to find a true conductor for their high-powered, but currently stalled, offense.