Houston Rockets: Week 2 NBA Power Rankings
By Yoni Pollak
Three losses all by exactly 20 points. I don’t think last week could have been worse for the Rockets. Where do they stand this week amongst the national media’s NBA power rankings? (Power Rankings done based on action from last Monday through this Sunday’s games.)
This week’s average power ranking: 17.16
ESPN (Marc Stein)
Ranked – 15 | Last Week – 5
"In a week of stunners — even by the unpredictable standards the NBA is known to deliver in the embryonic stages of its 82-game schedule — Houston’s 0-3 launch tops the list of hard-to-process developments. Worse than the results and the Rockets’ various injuries, though, is the sense that team spirit is somehow already lacking."
CBS Sports (Matt Moore)
Ranked – 22 | Last Week – 4
"Well, that got out of hand fast. The Rockets have been outscored by 65 points in the 113 points James Harden has been on the floor. Harden, by the way, is shooting 22 percent from the field. They blew a 21-point lead Sunday to the Heat. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"
NBA.com (John Schuhmann)
Ranked – 25 | Last Week – 4
"Houston (0-3)Pace: 100.7 (18) OffRtg: 87.2 (29) DefRtg: 109.0 (26) NetRtg: -21.8 (30)Two of the Rockets’ losses came without Dwight Howard and the other was at the hands of the Warriors. But even considering all that, they couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start. Their defense has been awful and James Harden can’t shoot. Some good news: Eight of their next 16 opponents, including the Thunder on Monday and Magic on Wednesday, will be on the second night of a back-to-back.This week: vs. OKC, vs. ORL, @ SAC, @ LAC"
Yahoo Sports (Dan Devine)
Ranked – 12 | Last Week – 12
"The spot’s the same, but Houston’s now fascinating for very different reasons. The Rockets followed up consecutive 20-point losses with a disappointing second-half implosion against Miami that led to — you guessed it! — a 20-point loss. That’s the first time in NBA history a team’s opened a season with three straight 20-point Ls … and they get OKC on Monday on the second night of a back-to-back. Woof.Houston’s defense has been awful; its offense, somehow, has been worse, as Lawson, James Harden and Trevor Ariza have all struggled with their shots. Dwight Howard’s already getting nights off to rest his back, power forwards Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones have both been sidelined, and save for young bigs Clint Capela and Montrezl Harrell, hardly anybody seems capable of scoring. Houston entered this season with championship hopes. If the real Rockets don’t show up real soon, they could be in real trouble."
ProBasketballTalk (Kurt Helin)
Ranked – 19 | Last Week – 6
"This ranking may be too high — that was a terrible week of basketball, all three losses by more than 20. They can’t continue like this, can they? James Harden isn’t going to continue to shoot 22 percent, is he? The defense isn’t going to just keep taking quarters off, is it? Not an easy week to turn things around with Oklahoma City and the Clippers both on the docket."
Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo)
Ranked – 10 | Last Week – 4
"Houston was an opening-week wreck, with abysmal shooting performances and disjointed play made most evident by a lackluster James Harden, who needs to get back on track quickly (22.2% FG, 9.4% from three). Their big men are dinged up and Harden is Harden, so they deserve a little time before we get too concerned."
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Next: Forgive The Rockets For Their Slow Start