Championship level? Rockets ready to embrace raised expectations

"We can improve vastly still – and that’s the good part about it."

That was Rockets head coach Ime Udoka’s response when asked what the ceiling for his team was following Houston’s 120-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The victory pushed the Rockets’ record to 26-12 as the halfway point of the season approaches, and has Houston as the second seed in the Western Conference.

"I think it’s all building blocks," Udoka said. "The confidence continues to grow … we know we can get so much better."

After missing the postseason for the fourth consecutive season last year, the stated goal from the Rockets entering training camp was to make the playoffs. While not a fait accompli at the season’s midway point, Houston has emerged as one of the league’s best turnarounds this winter. The Rockets have not been 14 or more games above .500 since 2020, when James Harden and Russell Westbrook starred in the Houston backcourt.

"We’re gonna stay level-headed with it," said Jalen Green after the win over Memphis. The fourth-year guard tied a career-high with 42 points versus the Grizzlies on a very efficient 13-of-18 shooting, including 5-for-6 from three-point range.

"We know where we’re at; we know what we gotta do to get to where we wanna go," Green added.

When asked just where it was the Rockets wanted to go, Green wasted no time with the reply:

"Playoffs … and beyond that."

Since the franchise moved from San Diego to Houston before the ‘71-’72 season, the Rockets have never gone more than four seasons without a postseason appearance (‘00 - ‘03).

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