What Has the Houston Rockets Offense Looked Like Since Fred VanVleet Went Out?
The official All-Star break has ended Tuesday as teams prepare for the final home stretch of games in the NBA regular season. The Rockets will return on Friday as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. In that Feb. 21st matchup, the Rockets hope to have Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith back.
The Rockets have been without Smith since Jan.2nd and VanVleet since Feb. 2nd. The Rockets have at times looked elite during Smith injury but since VanVleet has went out with an ankle injury they have struggled more times than not.
Since VanVleet has been out of the lineup, the Rockets have been only 2-7 during that time, and the numbers show exactly why. VanVleet is not the flashiest player in the league, and his impact can’t always be measured in statistics, but there have been some noticeable differences since he has been out of the lineup.
One number that has stood out more than anything else is the Rockets’ points per game. Before VanVleet’s injury, the Rockets averaged 113.6 points, which was 13th in the league. Since VanVleet’s injury, the Rockets are only averaging 106.4 points a game, which is 22nd in the league during that time.
Since bringing in VanVleet, the Rockets have been one of the best teams in the NBA in caring for basketball. In 2023-24, the Rockets had their best season ever taking care of the basketball, and the number one reason was because of VanVleet.
