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Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Game 7 preview

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Rockets and Warriors face each other one last time

We’ve seen this movie before.

In 2018, the Houston Rockets worked their butts off to get the 1 seed in order to have homecourt advantage against the Kevin Durant Era Golden State Warriors. That series did go to Game 7, but the result didn’t go in the favor of the good guys.

Only a few players are left from that series, and they all play for Golden State. The Rockets have undergone a full rebuild since then. Only the owner remains, basically.

It’s incredibly impressive that Houston even forced a Game 7. They were left for dead after blowing Game 4 and going down 3-1. Tonight, they can complete a comeback that would exorcise a lot of demons for the franchise and its fanbase.

We’ll be in the Playback room tonight, so you should come join to watch the Rockets and talk about the game. Remember, we get a handful of VIP passes that we give out to anyone who wants to watch the game. No League Pass necessary!

Tip-off


7:30pm CT

How To Watch


TNT, Space City Home Network, and Playback

Injury Report

Rockets


Jae’Sean Tate: OUT

Warriors


None

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -2.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can


If Houston wins: Game 1 in Houston on Tuesday

If Houston loses: NBA Lottery on May 12

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...-preview-steph-curry-jimmy-butler-steph-curry
 
The Empire Strikes Back: Rockets season ends with a 103-89 loss to the Warriors

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Ahead of schedule... Still behind the Warriors. Rockets lose in 7

On this May the Fourth, the rebel Houston Rockets would need “The Force” to be with them if they were going to make history for the third time in franchise history and be the 14th team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit. Rockets fans would feel a disturbance early in the game and Toyota Center rarely was able to get into the game as the Warriors executed everything they needed to do to advance to the Western Conference Semi-finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Houston Rockets were not able to do the things that gave them success in their three wins in the series. The Rockets defense was only able to force seven turnovers, and the Golden State Warriors were able to shoot 47.6 percent from the field including 41.9 percent from the three-point line. Buddy Hield scored 33 points in the game, scoring 22 of them in the first half while Steph Curry had only three points on 1-of-7 shooting. That helped the Warriors take a 51-39 lead into the half.

The third quarter is the only quarter the Rockets won, and we saw the fight of Amen Thompson, who was great in this game. 24 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists on 9-of-16 shooting and a blocked shot. Other than that, the Rockets had a very hard time scoring, especially in the paint and on second chance points. The rockets were 23-of-55 in the paint and only hit 50 percent of their second chance opportunities. Alperen Sengun scored 21 points but only shot 39 percent on 9-of-23 shooting.

The Warriors did a good job of taking Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green out of the gameplan offensively by blitzing on pick and roll and collapsing on him in the paint. While he didn’t turn the ball over, he only had one assist and only shot the ball eight times and only got the free throw line three times. The spotlight has been on him in the media and among fans, but it seems like the coach is okay with him taking what the defense gives and looking to make the right play rather than trying to “take over” offensively. Jalen certainly needs to improve on taking advantage of the few opportunities he gets when defended the way many teams are sure to begin defending him moving forward, but this should be valuable experience for not just him but all of the young players.

Fred VanVleet was unable to put the Superman cape for the third time in as many games, however in 43 minutes played he scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting, 7 rebounds and 3 assists and 3 turnovers. Offensively the Rockets were not in-sync and while hats must go off to the Golden State Warriors, to a man each of these players knows they had opportunities in this series that they let slip by.

Credit also must go to Steve Kerr for countering with a zone defense of his own that the Rockets struggled with executing against. With a strong first half from Buddy Hield and Draymond Green, followed by Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler being the closers they have become famous for, with poor shooting performances by the Rockets, it was just too much to overcome.

The Rockets know they have better performances in them than what they showed tonight and at moments in this series. Missed opportunities in the paint, only getting up 18 three-point shots in Game 7, losing Game 3 when Jimmy Bulter was out, shooting below 60 percent from the free-throw line in their losses... there is much for this young team to chew on over the summer.

The Houston Rockets also have much to be proud of as well. We watched this team grow up in a lot of ways. Seeing the pain and disappointment they have already begun to express, Tari Eason fighting back tears as he spoke to the media, is very reminiscent of the disappointment we saw them show in falling short of the playoffs last season. The fact that their response was to get to work, come back in the 2024-2025 season and win 52 games and clinching the second best record in the extremely loaded Western Conference, and take a team with three players having more playoff experience than the entire Rockets team combined to Game 7 after being down in the series 3-1, the level of optimism for next season should be even higher than it was to begin this season.

The Houston Rockets are now here. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone, they will not be the “feisty up and coming team” anymore. They have arrived, and with that will come raised expectations and standards, starting with the players in that locker room, the coaching staff, and the front office. The media and fans will no doubt begin to expect and even demand more at times. I believe if this team can tune out all the noise and keep the main thing, the main thing, we will see this young team continue to ascend.

The Rockets learned first-hand in this series that there are no truer words in sports than those of former Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich... “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.” The young Rockets have an opportunity to continue to grow together as long as ownership and front office personnel don’t get too impatient and really make something special. Without the sting of defeat, there is no joy in victory. The Rockets opportunity is coming. The only question is will they be ready when the time comes to seize it.

It’s been hell of a season TDS family! Can’t wait to talk offseason with you all. As disappointed as we all are right now it seems sure that brighter days are ahead. The NBA Draft Lottery falls on my birthday this year, and the Houston Rockets have a 3.8 percent chance of landing Cooper Flagg as the number one pick thanks to the Phoenix Suns. May The Force be with us.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...03-89-loss-to-the-warriors-nba-playoffs-curry
 
The rebel Rockets look to defeat the evil empire Warriors in Game 7 in H-Town

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

May The Force be with us...

Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors

Sunday, May 4 @ 7:30pm CST​



Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

TV: Space City Home Network, TNT / truTV / Max

Radio: SportsTalk790

Online: Rockets App


Probable Starting Lineups​


Rockets: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun

Warriors: Steph Curry, Bandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green


Join us on Playback!


Make sure to check out The Dream Shake’s official Playback stream to watch games with us! To sign up:


Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...ire-warriors-in-game-7-nba-playoffs-round-one
 
Source: Rockets interest in Kevin Durant “overstated”

NBA: Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Rockets are reportedly not interested in Kevin Durant.

The Houston Rockets are barely removed from their Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, and already, speculation has begun about what Houston can do to be better next season. One idea tossed around just about anywhere you look is a connection to Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns. Well, the latest Stein Line says that Houston’s interest in the aging star is “overstated.”

According to a newest issue (which is pay wall protected), Stein states:

“For all of the Rockets’ obvious shortcomings in generating easy scoring opportunities against Golden State’s defense laden with thirtysomethings, more indications than not suggest that Houston’s trade interest in Kevin Durant continues to be overstated. It was strongly conveyed to The Stein Line going into the playoffs that a Houston trade pursuit of Durant had become even “less likely” than previously thought.”

Stein goes on to say that the consistent Durant-to-Houston rumors are basically just a function of Houston having so many Phoenix draft picks, that it simply makes sense from a logistical perspective. The Rockets have expressed no formal interest in Durant, and in fact, it seems more like the opposite: Houston is not interested at all.

Devin Booker continues to be another story, but the Suns are still reportedly not budging on their ideas of Booker as their true franchise player.

Stein also goes on to say that he expects Fred VanVleet to be back next season. He does’t specifiy whether it’s likely to be on a new deal or on the (very expensive $44 million) old one, but Stein expects the veteran point guard to return.

The Substack also mentions that the Rockets are going to continue to be linked to any star thats available, not necessarily due to genuine interest, but simply because they are one of the few teams with the draft capital and an aggressive enough GM to do it.

So there you have it. At least for now, the Rockets are not Kevin Durant hunting. And that’s mostly a good thing.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...n-durant-overstated-devin-booker-phoenix-suns
 
Rockets and Fred VanVleet agree to extend option deadline

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Both sides need more time to talk about this.

It’s well-known that the Houston Rockets hold a $44.9 million team option on Fred VanVleet for the 2025-2026 season. It’s been a topic of conversation pretty much everywhere in Rockets-dom that no one really knows how this story will ultimately play out. Well, it appears that neither do VanVleet or the Rockets. It was announced today that the two sides agreed to extend the deadline on a decision until June 29.


The Houston Rockets and guard Fred VanVleet are pushing back Friday’s deadline date to June 29 on his $44.9 million team option for 2025-26 season, sources tell ESPN. This gives both sides additional time to navigate exercising the option versus completing a longer term deal.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 7, 2025

This is not surprising, with the original deadline of Friday rolling up fast, and the Rockets still licking their wounds from their opening round NBA Playoffs loss to the Golden State Warriors (what else is new?). Having to make a huge decision like that after an emotional end to the season seems like a lot to me too, and I’m definitely on the side that this extenstion is a good thing. It gives both sides the chance to truly absorb and process everything that’s happened this season and how to move forward.

VanVleet did exactly what he was brought in to do — help the kids grow up. And after an awfully slow playoff start, he was probably Houston’s best player during their comeback from a 3-1 deficit to the Warriors.

But is he worth $44.9 million this season? I don’t think there’s anyone that believes that. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged his lowest points (14.1) and assists (5.6) since 2019, the lowest field goal percentage (37.8) since his rookie year, and the second lowest three-point percentage (34.5) of his career. He also missed 22 games due to injury.

The 31-year-old is still a good player and a fantastic leader on and off the court, but he looks to be going over the hump into the downside of his career, and the best bet for both parties is to come up with a long-term solution that gives VanVleet a commitment that he’s likely looking for, while VanVleet is going to have to give some on the money.

The good news is that both sides want this to work out. They’ve both made that clear. They’re likely (hopefully) just giving themselves more time to work out the deets of what exactly that looks like.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...-vanvleet-agree-to-extend-option-deadline-nba
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Nate Williams/David Roddy

NBA: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

It was a good season for the Rockets. Reviews kick off with the bench.

With the 2024-2025 NBA season in the books for the Houston Rockets, it’s time to take a look back at how things went for each player on the roster. We start off with the back of the bench.

Nate Williams​


Williams had been one of Houston’s two-way guys, but the Rockets converted his contract this past season to a standard NBA one. He’s signed for four years, $8 million, which means the Rockets have some faith in the 6’5” shooting guard. Williams played in 20 games for the Rockets, averaging 7.4 minutes per night and 3.3 points per game. He was great in the G-League, averaging 17.3 points and 4 assists per game for Rio Grande Valley. Williams mostly is what he is at this point in his career, as he’s now 26 years old, but the Rockets obviously like him enough to have given him a raise. He’ll remain an end-of-the-bench player barring injuries.

David Roddy​


Roddy took Williams’ spot on the two-way list, and the 24-year-old Roddy averaged 16.7 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Vipers in the G-League. He played sparingly with the varsity, only appearing in three contest for the Rockets, averaging 4.3 points and 1.7 rebounds. The power forward is built like Charles Barkley, standing just 6’4” and weighing 255 pounds, earning the name “Big Body Roddy.” If only he played like Sir Charles. Anyway, Roddy’s been around a bit, spending time with Memphis, Atlanta, Phoenix and Philly, but there’s a chance he sticks as a two-way for the Rockets, depending on how the upcoming draft goes. Houston has both a first and a second round pick this year, meaning they’ll need to make some roster space for incoming players, provided they don’t trade the picks. If they keep both picks, we may have seen the last of Roddy.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...25-season-in-review-nate-williams-david-roddy
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Jack McVeigh/N’Faly Dante

NBA: San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jack McVeigh​


McVeigh came to the Houston Rockets last summer on a two-way deal, holding a fine reputation as a shooter and from winning 2024 NBL Finals MVP Award. McVeigh spent the majority of the 2024-2025 NBA season with Rio Grande Valley in the G-League, playing in 34 games for the Vipers this past season. He racked up a pretty solid stat line of 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists on 44 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep. He scored a season-high 29 points in a January 9 win over the Oklahoma City Blue.

His numbers for the Rockets were significantly more modest. McVeigh played in just nine games, averaging 4.8 minutes per contest. He averaged just 1.6 points per game and shot 29 percent from the floor and a slightly higher 30 percent from deep.

The 6’8” McVeigh offers some tantalizing potential on a team desperate for shooting, but we all know that head coach Ime Udoka wants defenders first and foremost, which isn’t exactly McVeigh’s forte’. He’s also just 23, so he still has some room for development. I’d like to see him back on a two-way next season, depending on Houston’s draft results.

N’Faly Dante​


Dante went undrated but signed a two-way deal with the Rockets, and the 6’11” traditional center also had a great year down in the Valley. He went off for 16.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1 steal and 2.2 blocks per game on 75 percent (yes, real) shooting for the Vipers. He took no three-pointers as a rim-running center, scoring almost all of his points in the paint or the post.

With the Rockets, like McVeigh, he also played sparingly, appearing in just four games. But I liked some of what I saw from the 23-year-old Dante. In a March 3 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dante scored 10 points with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks on 4-for-6 shooting in 18 minutes of action. He also had 8 points, 6 rebounds and 1 block on 4-for-5 shooting against the Los Angeles Lakers in the next-to-last game of the season.

Dante has me intrigued. He averaged 6 points, 5.3 boards and 1.3 blocks on the year in 12.8 minutes per night. He shot 10-for-13 from the field on the year. He had defensive box plus-minus of +1.7 and a defensive rating of 103, albeit in limited time. But there’s something there with Dante. If the Rockets have the patience and room to keep him on a two-way, I’d love to see what he can become with another season or two of development.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...025-season-in-review-jack-mcveigh-nfaly-dante
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Jeff Green

2025 NBA Playoffs - Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets - Game Two

Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

It was a good season for the Rockets. Reviews continue with veteran center “Uncle” Jeff Green.

Despite a disappointing loss to the Golden State Warriors, the 2024-2025 Houston Rockets had an impressive season, finishing with 52 wins and securing the second seed in the Western Conference. With Rockets player reviews underway, let us continue looking at the bench and reviewing veteran Jeff Green’s season.

After Jeff Green helped lead Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to the NBA championship in 2023, he signed a two-year deal with the Houston Rockets.

While Jeff only saw playing time in 32 games this season, starting three, this was likely due to the emergence of the double big lineup featuring Alpern Sengun and Steven Adams, alongside Sengun’s offensive leap and Adams' resurgence, Udoka essentially utilized Jeff Green as a player-coach veteran role.

When Jeff Green did see the court, he averaged 5.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists on 36.7 percent from three, 80.8 percent from the free throw line, and 36.7 percent on field goals.

Jeff Green’s impact extends outside the court. All the young players look up to and respect him, giving him his token Uncle Jeff nickname.

After Houston secured its 50th win of the season, securing its first playoff berth since 2019-2020, the Athletic caught up with Jeff to ask him a few questions about his role with the team.

“How has that transition been for you overall?”

“I love it. When I was young, I had those types of vets in Kurt Thomas, Kevin Garnett that instilled that confidence and knowledge in me. It was all to better my game and my career. It’s all a cycle. Now I’m at the point where it’s my turn to showcase that knowledge and help the young guys be professionals.”

With Jeff Green being extension eligible before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2026, I would not be surprised if the front office and Jeff agree to a short team-friendly option to let Jeff fully embrace the Player/Coach hybrid role while sticking around to Unc it up.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...rockets-2024-2025-season-in-review-jeff-green
 
NBA Draft Lottery Watch Party

NBA: NBA Draft

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Join us on Playback as we find out where the Rockets will be drafting

The NBA Draft Lottery

Monday, May 12 @ 6pm CST​


The Houston Rockets have a 17.3% chance of moving into the top 4 and a 3.8% chance of landing the top overall pick. Come join us on Playback and watch along with us!



How to watch: Playback and ESPN


Join us on Playback!


Make sure to check out The Dream Shake’s official Playback stream to watch games with us! To sign up:


Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...tery-watch-party-cooper-flagg-ace-bailey-odds
 
NBA Draft Lottery TONIGHT 6PM CST - Discuss Rockets Chances Here!

Atlanta Hawks wins the NBA draft lottery...

Draft Lottery | Photo by Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images

We’re Also Streaming The NBA Lottery Live on Playback.

The NBA playoffs roll onward, without the Rockets. Of course Steph Curry waited to be injured until after the Rockets series, because that’s just the Curse of the Warriors on the Rockets. Well, the Rockets had to learn, and it was clear this was a team making its first playoff appearances against a team in its 29th playoff series in its current form.

Annoyingly, I’m not seeing any team remaining in the West that the Rockets couldn’t beat, and that includes OKC, who looks...a lot less special than their regular season would indicate. I think this is OKC’s Golden Year, they’d better do it this year, as all that depth is about to get expensive, or at worst, they’re making commitments to players longer term, which removes options on “lots of good players” rapidly.

The OKC problem is the Rockets problem on a lesser scale. That is, they and the Rockets have lots of good players, but only one great one (the Rockets lack a great one, so far, but if you want a player to be an offensive star, you actually have to run offense on a star basis for that player - more on that as the off season drags on). OKC’s vaunted shooting? Not around, by and large facing a tenacious D.

Tonight, however, we will see how some of Rafael Stone’s moves work out, as the Rockets will be stepping into the shoes of the Phoenix Suns. Does the Sun wear shoes? Greek sandals perhaps? Or is the sun in this game a phoenix? I’m never sure. At this point, Phoenix appears to be all ashes and no fire bird.

The chalk says the Rockets pick ninth, but if some odd stuff happens, there could be a coin flip and the Rockets would pick 10th. In a draft with four or five top prospects, and another 10-12 good starter prospects on top of that, that sounds fine.

The Rockets have a roughly 17% chance of landing a top four pick, which is a change from the previous odds model. The model is even flatter with regards to top picks, to discourage tanking. Which it has done to an extent, except for the teams that want to be bad enough to be guaranteed a top five pick.

The Rockets odds of a high pick are:

1st - 3.75%

2nd - 4.05%

3rd - 4.42%

4th - 4.86%

So as I understand it, the Rockets have a 17% shot of top four, and otherwise will be 9th or 10th, most likely 9th.

What say you?

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...-tonight-6pm-cst-discuss-rockets-chances-here
 
Report: Rockets no longer interested in Devin Booker

NBA: Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Rockets are reportedly out on the Suns big names.

The Houston Rockets are tied to just about any player that becomes available, due to their plethora of assets in draft picks and young talent. But with Devin Booker, the Rockets reportedly held genuine interest, even if Booker wasn’t one of those guys who was actually on the market. Well, a recent report from The Athletic says that the Rockets are out on Booker now too.

The report, from Kelly Iko and Sam Amick, says:

The Rockets have previously held serious interest in the Suns’ Devin Booker, but team sources said that is no longer the case. Not only do team officials still have faith in Jalen Green, who is five years younger than Booker and $66 million cheaper over the next three seasons, but also Booker’s struggles last season shifted the thinking on this front.

So whether that’s just posturing from the Rockets or Rafael Stone really has moved on from the former apple of his eye, the NBA scuttlebutt no longer has Houston pursuing Booker.

In addition, the article re-affirms Houston’s disinterest in Kevin Durant, stating that any attempts to move Durant were made by the Suns, not the Rockets, and that Houston feels that Durant is simply too old. It’s an opinion that I — and probably most of you — share.

The report states:

While Durant is widely seen as the most attainable of that group, and he is known to be very interested in playing in Houston, team sources said the Rockets still have significant reservations about that possible partnership, in large part, because Durant’s age (36) would be so out of sync with their younger timeline. It’s worth noting that previous talks between the teams about Durant, team sources said, were initiated by the Suns.

So there you have it. The Rockets are out on the Suns players. Whether that same remains to be true for Giannis Antetokounmpo or someone from the Celtics if they decide blow it up remains to be seen.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...er-phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-nba-trade-rumors
 
The Forever Commissioner explains the NBA Draft Lottery process

NBA Finals Game 2: Orlando Magic v Los Angeles Lakers

It’s my way, or my way. | Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images

AKA - David Stern Controls The NBA! From Beyond The Grave!

Very Important Disclaimer That No One Will Read, Or If They Do Read, Take Seriously.

This is an attempt at humor. It’s also a thought experiment of sorts. It’s an attempt to determine if there are principles and outcomes, openly expressed, advocated, by NBA management, that are consistent with highly unlikely
NBA Draft Lottery events we’ve witnessed over the past few seasons. Or if there are league positions and desires that are quite consistent with events and outcomes. You’ll have to judge if I’ve played fair with these or not.

On a more serious note, this seeming chaos we see may just be the chaos of flat odds. It makes tanking unpredictable, so “chalk” draft picks aren’t likely. When they aren’t likely, well you see unlikely stuff.

I’m going to write something about security, possible failure points, and about what people think they know, and what they actually know, or could prove, about the NBA Draft lottery process. This is not because I think this is happening, but more thinking about how it might happen is worth considering. There are lots of things we think of as sure, secure, that couldn’t reasonably be manipulated, or compromised, but are, fairly routinely, by determined adversaries.

I wrote so much about the first part, that the security, “how it might happen” and “what could a team actually do if they suspected something” part will have to wait.


There are probably more disclaimers I should write., but disclaimers are boring, and tedious. It’s more fun to pretend to be the Ghost of David Stern.

Meet The NBA’s Forever Commissioner: David Stern.


Hi, I’m David Stern. You probably remember me as the greatest Commissioner in NBA history. You will recall I guided the Association from an irrelevant also-ran league that had Finals games aired via taped delay, to the pinnacle of global cool and glory. I even managed to convince the majority of you that the greatest player ever was that tediously compulsive gambler and all around annoying franchise owner, Michael Jordan, rather than the Hakeem Olajuwon. Yes, I made that happen, it was a great story, right?

You have probably heard that I’m dead. This, I am forced to admit, is true. Fortunately, through superior foresight and planning, death has been merely an inconvenience in my continuing to preside over the league I love so well, the NBA.

What, you thought all this success was Adam Silver? Record media deals and franchise values? That’s cute.

Adam is a nice boy, and enjoys many independent thoughts and actions of his own. Let’s face it, a lot of what he does is boring. Furthermore, I do not want to be “in the bedroom” with him under any circumstances. There are limits. When the NBA chips are down, of course, I take over. Detractors might call this “ supernatural possession” but I prefer to think of it as “benevolent guidance and control”. You can’t argue with the results.

Sometimes I take an even more direct role. You may think a “ghost”, or as I prefer to think of it, Actively Deceased Executive, can’t grab a particular ping pong ball and put it in a chute without some tedious executive type noticing. You would be wrong. Very. Wrong.

Why, you ask, would I do this? As ever, I have my reasons. Basketball reasons.

Let’s start with how I see things, and want them to work for the NBA.

  1. I want what’s best for the NBA. I am, if nothing else, paternalistic about the league. Overall this means an NBA of fun, competitive games, full arenas, big stars, great story lines, and match ups you want to watch. In a very real sense, this also means a profitable NBA, and to ensure that, success for certain teams is necessary. By this I specifically mean the Lakers, and a few others. Don’t look shocked, I said as much when I was pre-deceased.
  2. I do not believe that deliberately trying to fail should ever be rewarded. Yes, I understand that the draft is the only fairly probable way certain teams can get the stars they need to compete. But this “tanking” has become abominable, a blight on the integrity of the league and the games. When you are dead, you see certain things, things that really are abominable. Tanking is worse. A monster can’t help being monstrous, but teams can avoid being grotesque, by trying to win. If it’s clear a team is trying, and is still bad, through bad luck, or events outside their control, that’s different.
  3. These principles may seem to be at odds. But they aren’t, not with Daddy David’s firm ectoplasmic grip on the balls, so to speak, of the NBA Draft. Ectoplasm is an ugly word. Anyway, if your team needs a bit of help, like say Detroit, then fine, a year in the dumps will get you a 1-1 pick.
  4. Other things that will get you a good pick? Losing your local hero, and franchise icon, say that icon is LeBron. That will get you great picks. An owner buying that perennial sad sack New Orleans team will do it. (Note to self, maybe it’s time to just give up on NOLA?)
  5. Signing stars, and trying to win, but it all goes wrong? It depends. How arrogant were you about it? The only person in this whole NBA business whose ego is justified is me. How smart are you feeling now, Matt Ishbia? Philly is a sad story, but Phoenix? That Beale deal was just stupid, so you can just suffer for a while, Matt. Teams that keep going to the draft well though, like Detroit? That’ll get you a whole lot of #5.
  6. Also, I can only get you the pick, I can’t pick players for you. Well, I probably could, and do better than most of you, but I won’t. I have other things to do. Ghost things.
  7. I tried to Signal Very Clearly that deliberate losing is a bad plan with the flattened odds. These odds, to me, couldn’t be a more obvious discouragement to tanking. With odds this flat, teams really ought to try to win a little. It won’t make much difference to your chances, and everyone, especially our media partners, and your putative fans, will appreciate the effort.
  8. But what do all these smarty pants mathlete team GMs do? They want to make sure they’re top five. Even when the odds are terrible, they still want to game those shitty odds. Some people are just too clever to be told. They have to learn the hard way.
  9. But without just going to The Wheel, what to do? Basically, punish teams that could have been better, but chose not to be better. Utah, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Washington are standouts right now. They all could have played better, won more, but they were all trying to clang down to the very bottom. So they all made up injuries, they played well for three quarters (Brooklyn) then coughed up the win. They played the weirdest damned lineups ever (Utah), and they all sat healthy guys with bogus injuries. All to be worse. To lose on purpose. Well, did they enjoy THIS lottery?
  10. Will these GMs learn? We’ll see. I can do this, in theory, eternally, Danny. Can you keep your job eternally, even in Utah?
  11. I’ve also tried to show that when you try, the league sees it, respects it. The Rockets, last season, ended up .500. They stated they were ending their rebuild, and they did. I appreciate that kind of frank discourse. So they got, somehow, despite the odds, the #3 pick. A nice little reward. Maybe it wasn’t a great draft class, but even I can’t control that. Were you watching Danny Ainge? Or were you once again telling yourself in the mirror that you’re the smartest guy in the room? (I can see you when you think you’re alone Danny, don’t bother denying it.)
  12. I’ve got things to do, ghost things, so let’s get to that big issue we’ve all got flagged. Flagged, get it? Well. Let’s see. Instead of auctioning off one of the most valuable players in the league, Luka Doncic, what did Nico Harrison do? He reportedly had a secret dialog with only Rob Pelinka, and also Rob’s sentient tight leather jacket (we’ll talk about that later, it worries me). He traded Luka to the Lakers, a 26 year old,consistent All NBA player, to the Lakers for, well, a lot less than Minnesota paid for Rudy Gobert. Does that make sense? No. Frankly, it does not. It stinks. Unless? Unless you knew there was a reward for helping the NBA stay great, and by that I mean helping the Lakers stay great.
  13. So Dallas gets 1-1, with a player that should continue Dallas’ lineage of melanin-challenged heroes. He might be the palest Maverick yet. Cooper’s from Maine, where the sun can only legally shine for 75 days per year. Dallas tried to win. They tried to make the playoffs. They want to be good. They also traded the young player who dragged them to the previous Finals, to the Lakers, to play with LeBron James.
  14. If that sort of NBA public spirtedness isn’t worth 1-1 over the endless shit shows in Utah, Brooklyn, Washington, Charlotte, and Toronto, what is? Besides, how many pearls do we have to throw before the swine in Charlotte? In DC? They’d only screw it up.

By now, I think, a lot of those “Highly Improbable” results are making more sense to you. I hope you now understand where I’m coming from (From Beyond The Grave! The Great Beyond! Ha ha!). Honestly, I don’t care all that much if you don’t get it, or don’t like it, because I know I’m right anyway. Many of you don’t have a benevolent supernatural being guiding you, protecting you, helping you. That’s a shame. The NBA does, though, and it’s me, David Stern, the Forever Commissioner.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...sioner-explains-the-nba-draft-lottery-process
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Jock Landale

NBA: Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Landale was Houston’s third center once Steven Adams got rolling.

Jock Landale had a pretty good year. He was never going to be asked to do a ton for the Houston Rockets, but with Steven Adams starting off the year still working himself into basektball shape, Landale played in 14 of Houston’s first 19 games. That turned out to be his most active stretch of the season, but Landale popped in here and there, particularly when Adams needed a rest or when matchups necessitated it.

Landale responded with a stat line of 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1 assist per game on 53.3 percent shooting from the field, 42.3 percent from three (26 total attempts), and 67.5 percent from the free throw line across 42 games while putting in 11.9 minutes per night.

His best performances on the season were 11 points and 10 boards on 4-for-8 shooting in a February 9 win over the Toronto Raptors, a 13-point, 8-rebound performance on 6-for-9 shooting in a February 13 loss to the Golden State Warriors, scoring 10 and then 11 points in back-to-back wins over the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns late in March, and he had 11 points, 9 boards and 5 assists on 4-for-7 shooting in an April 9 loss to the L.A. Clippers.

Landale has two more seasons left on his contract at $8 million per year, though the second year is a team option. I’m sure the Rockets will be happy to have Landale back, but should they wind up trading for a superstar in the coming months, Landale would be a perfect inclusionary piece on a potentially expiring deal.

But the Rockets also have the Steven Adams situation to figure out. Steve-o is slated for unrestricted free agency, and should the Rockets be unable to re-sign him, suddenly the 29-year-old Landale becomes a much more valuable piece for the Houston bench.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...ckets-2024-2024-season-in-review-jock-landale
 
Three potential draft picks for Rockets at 10

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament Second Round-Oregon at Arizona

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

To pick... or not to pick...

After improving their season win total by double digits for the second consecutive season, finishing with the second best record in the West at 52-30, and establishing themselves as an elite defensive team with tons of upside, the Houston Rockets have been the subject of much trade speculation, as the national media seems to believe that the Rockets must make an off-season trade to enter their championship window immediately.

Monday’s NBA Draft Lottery results where the Rockets received the 10th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft via the Phoenix Suns, has only added fuel to that fire. However, given the statements made by Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka, that building continuity is their most likely course of action, there is a real possibility that the Rockets keep Phoenix’s pick at number 10 and make a selection. Here are a few players that the Rockets have been mocked to take.

Kasparas Jakucionis (PG - Illinois)


For Rockets fans who watch this team closely, it may come as a surprise that several mock drafts, including the ESPN Mock Draft that dropped minutes after the lottery finished, have the Rockets selecting a point-guard in the first round for the second consecutive year. Jakucionis is a big guard at 6ft 6in with a 6ft 7in wingspan, weighing 205 lbs. He averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 0.9 steals for the Fighting Illini in 33 games played last season.

Jakucionis is a playmaking ballhandler, very comfortable and productive in the pick-and-roll. He’s good at reading defenders and making sharp passes or finishing at the rim. He played both guard spots for Illinois at times. Jakucionis also has some international pedigree, as he was one of the youngest players to ever play for the Euroleague’s FC Barcelona at just 16 years old.

While most scouts don’t believe he will be a star, there is really no telling. He is an intriguing prospect, nonetheless. The downside to the Rockets selecting him is the odds of him cracking the current rotation are slim to none. He struggles to shoot from the three-point line consistently, which would put him in good company on this Rockets squad, but the issue for him is everything he does well, there is someone on the Rockets who currently does it better and has proven themselves on the NBA level. This would be at best a pick for future depth or a future trade asset.

Carter Bryant (F - Arizona)


The former Wildcat has been mocked to the Rockets at number 10 in a USA Today mock draft and to be honest, this is a pick I would be excited about as a fan. Bryant is skilled and athletic with all the physical tools of the modern NBA wing. He has a smooth shooting stroke and can jump out the gym and projects to be a “3-and-D” player at the NBA level. He shot 37.1% from the three-point line in his line freshman year at Arizona, but that was on a very limited number of attempts, as he did struggle to carve out consistent playing time, averaging only 6.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.0 APG, which brings us to his downside as the 10th pick in the draft.

He is a very raw prospect whose potential upside is what makes him a likely lottery pick in this draft. If the Rockets were to take him, he undoubtedly would be seeing time in Rio Grande Valley playing for the Vipers. His upside makes him a very interesting player to add, once again for the purpose of future depth, or as an asset to use in potential trades. In my opinion his athleticism, and potential upside alone is a low-risk, high-reward for the Rockets at 10, if he lasts that long.

Thomas Sorber (C - Georgetown)


NBADraft.net did a mock draft that had the Rockets adding big-man depth to the roster by taking the 6ft-10in 250 lbs. center from Trenton, NJ. Scouts compared Sorber to Vin Baker (for Gen X and old millennials) and Roy Hibbert (I understand if every generation forgot him, but he was good for a min.)

Sorber is a long and skilled player who can play in the post, has a nice shooting touch and can finish through contact with either hand. He averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in his freshman year at Georgetown. He shot 57 percent from the floor and 72 percent from the free-throw line. He showed promise as a rim protector as well, averaging 2 blocks per game.

Provided that Steven Adams is returning, as is the case with the aforementioned potential draft picks, Sorber likely would not crack the rotation on this team, although I would give him the best odds of the three, given that size, rebounding and rim protection are at a premium in the NBA. Add the fact that he can score in the paint and make his free-throws, Sorber would be a welcome addition to the team in my opinion.

To Pick... Or Not to Pick...


That really is the question. For my part I try and pay attention to what the GM and head coach are saying, rather than the talking heads of the national media. Let’s face it... they want the Rockets young talent traded, not to open up the Rockets championship window, but to add talent to the likes of the Lakers, Knicks, Warriors, etc.

Last year, most “experts” predicted the Rockets would not and should not have picked at #3 when they took Reed Sheppard, yet it turned out that they believed he was the best player in the draft. I believe the Rockets could move the pick, but I don’t believe it will be in a move to acquire a “Superstar”, but I could see moving the pick to add an impactful veteran player who adds either scoring and perimeter defense, or more rebounding and rim protection. Regardless of what they decide to do, Rockets fans have every reason to be excited, as the Houston front office has placed themselves in great position of power. The future is certainly bright.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...sparas-jakucionis-carter-bryant-thomas-sorber
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Jae’Sean Tate

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Houston Rockets

Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Will Tate be back next season?

Anyone remember the days when Jae’Sean Tate was one of the best players on the Houston Rockets? Yeah, those were interesting times. Yes, Tate is still effective as swiss army knife, do-it-all kind of player, but thankfully, the Rockets have gotten way more talented over the last couple of seasons, relegating Tate to a back-end bench role or in case of emergency, break glass.

I’m actually a little surprised Tate didn’t get traded this past season for some shooting. The 29-year-old multi-position man is on the last year of his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent this coming season. I don’t really expect him to be re-signed, so I figured he wouldn’t make it past this year’s deadline, but Rafael Stone was dead serious when he said he liked the team’s roster as-is.

Tate finished the season playing in 52 games, starting 2, and averaging 11.3 minutes per night. He had career lows in 3.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1 assist per night, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Season highlights include 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting in a January 28 win over the Atlanta Hawks, 7 points and 7 rebounds and a game-high +30 in a March 17 overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, and the fact that the Rockets were 38-14 in games in which Tate saw action. It’s obvious he does the little things that affect the game’s outcome.

Despite this — and I could be wrong — but I think we’ve seen the last of Tate in a Rockets uniform. If Houston is not going to make any major moves — and that remains to be seen — they need to get better on the margins. And one of the margins they need to improve on is long-distance shooting. And Tate, for all of his strengths, is not a shooter. He’s seen his minutes and production decline each year for the past several seasons, and despite being part of the “stay ready” crew for the Rockets, the team has two new draft picks coming in to make room for as well, so I’d be surprised to see him back.

It’s not impossible he returns, I just feel like the Rockets have other needs that they need to prioritize this offseason.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...s-2024-2025-season-in-review-jaesean-tate-nba
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Aaron Holiday

NBA: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Holiday stepped up when needed. Will he back for a third season with the Rockets?

I think a lot of us were surprised when the Houston Rockets re-signed Aaron Holiday this last offseason to a two-year, $9.5 million contract to come back to the team as a bench point guard. The Rockets had just drafted Reed Sheppard to potentially be their point guard of the future, and many thought Holiday was going to move on somewhere with more playing time.

But Sheppard came out of the gates slowly, and that gave Holiday some unexpected playing time, as he ended up appearing in 62 games this past season, averaging 12.8 minutes per night. Holiday averaged 5.5 points and 1.3 assists per game and remained one of the team’s most effective three-point shooters, hitting 39.8 percent from beyond the arc and 43.7 percent from the field. He hit 72 threes on the season. Pretty impressive for a sometimes rotation guy.

He filled in with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists in a February 13 loss to the Golden State Warriors, had 20 points and 2 assists in a March 8 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, and had 16 points and 4 assists in a late-season loss to the L.A. Clippers. He also saw action — albeit mostly minimal — in three of Houston’s playoff games.

Holiday has a club option on his contract for the 2025-2026 season, so it’s TBD if he’s coming back next year. Obviously, the team wants Sheppard to take the next step, and to hear Rafael Stone talk, he has all the faith in the world that he will. Which would make Holiday’s minutes tough to come by. But the Rockets might do wise to keep Holiday on the roster as backup veteran ball handler.

We keep mentioning this, but it’s tough to get a gauge on who stays from the back end of the bench, because it depends on what the Rockets do with their incoming draft picks. At the moment, there are two coming. But it’s nice that Houston has that flexibility with Holiday’s contract in that they can easily decide to bring him back or let him walk to a club with more playing time.

He’s been a solid veteran presence on the team for the past two seasons. It remains to be seen whether Rafael Stone picks up his option for a third.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...kets-2024-2025-season-in-review-aaron-holiday
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Steven Adams

Golden State Warriors v Houston Rockets - Game Seven

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

It was a good season for the Rockets. Reviews continue with the Big Man off the bench, Steven Adams

I was ecstatic when the Houston Rockets traded with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire Steven Adams in February 2024. I had enjoyed watching Adams and following his career from Oklahoma City to New Orleans and Memphis. Unfortunately, we had to wait until the next season to see Adams play as he was recovering from his PCL sprain which he underwent surgery.

Statistics-wise, Adams’ numbers don’t exactly jump out at you, averaging 3.9 points, 1.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game, but his development into Alperen Sengun’s perfect running mate in the second half of the season after many were unsure if he belonged on the Rockets.

The new season started in October, and I, along with many others, was disappointed. Adams seemed out of place on the floor, as it looked like he was trying to get up to speed. That combined with Adams' very limited availability.

In the early stages of the season, Adams was only playing one to two games a week, often needing at least two days of rest before suiting up again. In a sport where the best ability is availability, it seemed Aquaman wasn’t ready to make a full return to the court, but was still able to provide leadership on the bench, providing value that may not appear on the stat sheet, but value nonetheless.

However, as the season went on, Adams began to play better, and it appeared he was better adjusted and was finding his footing. In late February and early March, coach Ime Udoka began experimenting with a double-big lineup. Essentially, Udoka began running Adams and Sengun on the floor at the same time, and it worked!

In a game versus the Indiana Pacers on March 4, Houston struggled through much of the game, but their comeback attempt was sparked by a lineup with both Sengun and Adams. Similarly, Houston was struggling in a game versus the New Orleans Pelicans on March 6, but inserting Adams led to victory. In the time Adams was on the court, Houston went +17. In the 29 minutes that he wasn’t, they went -5. The two-center combination of Adams and All-Star big man Sengun was crucial in grabbing boards, blocking the paint, and reducing the Pelicans’ driving possibilities. Adams finished with 8 rebounds and 6 assists, and New Orleans only scored 38 points in the second half.

On the offensive end, Adams’ role as an offensive rebounder and tough screen-setter helped Houston to take control with 33 of its points in a dominant third quarter. The Rockets outscored the Pelicans 23-5 during seven minutes of Adams and Sengun on the court together that quarter.

Although Houston was unable to employ the double big lineup as effectively in the postseason due to the Golden State Warriors' outside shooting, Adams was definitely a staple of this Rockets’ season, and the double big lineup was a joy to watch. I would not be surprised if the Rockets and Adams work out a new contract this offseason.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...ckets-2024-2025-season-in-review-steven-adams
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Cam Whitmore

NBA: Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cam may be at his whits end...

Summarizing Cam Whitmore’s 2024-2025 shouldn’t take long. He played in 51 games; he started three of them. He averaged 16.2 minutes per game, 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game. He shot 44.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from the three-point line on 11.5 field goal attempts per game.

Needless to say, Houston Rockets fans were disappointed in Cam Whitmore’s sophomore season, regardless of where they place the blame. Some feel Cam Whitmore’s lack of attention to detail defensively was to blame, others blame coach Ime Udoka for not playing him more.

Wherever you fall in the Cam Whitmore blame game, there’s little doubt that the Rockets coaches, players, and most of all Cam Whitmore himself are more disappointed than you are. Cam Whitmore has no poker face. He wasn’t happy most of the season and everyone could see it.

His attempts at cryptic messaging in answering questions to the media were pretty uncomfortable to witness, and not much demonstrated the separation between head coach and player than when Cam would be asked what the coaching staff had communicated to him that he would need to do to earn more minutes, and he would respond... “I don’t know.”

According to Ime Udoka he was often “caught off guard” by that response from Whitmore, because by his estimation he and Cam have had “many conversations” about his role and expectations. The coach also acknowledged that with Tari Eason being healthy, and so many other players playing vital roles in a very crowded rotation, playing time for Whitmore would be a challenge to come by. However, he always emphasized that his players know what they need to do to earn minutes on the court.

So, the question Rockets fans want to know is how much of Cam Whitmore’s limited playing time is due to the roster depth, and how much is because the coaches are unhappy with his development? I would strongly be led to believe the latter, because of the simple fact that with Cam Whitmore’s raw talent on the offensive end and the Rockets inability to score at times, surely, if he were meeting the expectations of the coaches, he’d average more than 16 minutes per-game and play in more than just a little over half the seasons games.

What is the solution? In reality only Ime Udoka and Cam Whitmore know the answer to that question. What I do know is this... where there is smoke, usually there is fire. 19 teams passed up on Cam Whitmore in the 2023 NBA Draft, including the Rockets at number four. Considering his off the charts athleticism and the fact that at 20 years old he is built like seasoned vet, a true man amongst boys... something is off.

I will offer the same benefit of the doubt I have offered Jalen Green. This young man is two years removed from being a child. He is a little awkward. His demeanor seams at times laissez-faire, which I unprofessionally mind you, have diagnosed as a defense mechanism. I believe Cam Whitmore wants to play basketball and I believe he wants to be great at it. What I don’t know is how well he communicates his needs, or how well he is able to receive the communication of his coach.

Ime Udoka is going to be Ime Udoka. He doesn’t strike me as the type of coach who will change up who he is to placate to one individual on the team, regardless of how talented that player might be. So, one of two things will have to happen. Cam Whitmore will have to continue to “suck it up” as it were and work hard against whatever natural characteristic he has that is keeping him from fitting into Udoka’s plan, or both sides will have to come to the conclusion that perhaps they just aren’t a good fit together.

Optimistically, I hope for the previous. I would love to see Cam overcome the adversity he has faced since draft day, and prove not only to the Rockets, their fans, and the NBA as a whole, but more importantly prove to himself that he can play in this league and play for a demanding coach like Ime Udoka. From the day he was drafted by the Rockets it has been known that he could be a player that puts this Rockets team over the top if he is able to reach full potential while playing for this team.

Next season will be big for Cam. Right now, many believe he is primed to be a piece in a potential trade for a “superstar”. His name is involved in every single rumor there is out there. I don’t know if he ever Google’s his own name and stumbles across these articles, but I’ll say this. Cam, if you’re reading this, I want you to know that in life, everything worth having you will have to run through fire for it. You young man, have gone through more fire than we know about, I’m sure. Hang in there kid. The people are not disappointed because they don’t believe in you. It’s because they know how great you can be. How great you will be... hopefully while still playing on 1510 Polk St.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...re-nba-ime-udoka-jalen-green-tari-eason-draft
 
Amen Thompson named NBA All-Defensive First Team

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Some well-deserved recognition for Thompson.

How’s that for a sophomore accolade? The NBA announced it’s Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team yesterday, and Houston Rockets swingman Amen Thompson made the cut.


The 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team!

Dyson Daniels
Luguentz Dort
Draymond Green
Evan Mobley
Amen Thompson#NBAAwards | @Kia pic.twitter.com/wflhuqvnJ6

— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2025

The second-year player took a huge leap towards NBA stardom this past season, becoming one of the most versatile and shut-down defenders in the league at just age 22. He held opposing players to just 40.7 percent shooting as the primary defender this season. As you can see by the list, he joins Dyson Daniels, Luguentz Dotz, Draymond Green and Evan Mobley on the first team.

Thompson’s name has been tossed out there as a possible centerpiece of a Rockets deal for a star — namely for Giannis Antetokounmpo — but with this type of season under his belt, I think that’s safely off the table for Houston. Thompson is no longer a future star. He’s a star in the making right now.

He’s shown that by not only having a great defensive season, but he was great on the offensive end too. He finished the season with averages of 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game on 55.7 percent shooting from the field, illustrating his two-way capabilities. He also had 108 defensive rating and defensive box plus-minus of +2.6.

Thompson’s versatility on both the offensive and defensive ends has been something to behold, and he’s signed on his rookie deal with the Rockets though 2027, currently making him one of the best bargains in the league. And while you’re sure to hear opposing team’s beat writers and bloggers toss his name out there in any potential Rockets trade deal, that’s going to be more wishful thinking on their part than anything. I think it’s safe to say Amen is part of Houston’s core moving forward.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...n-thompson-named-nba-all-defensive-first-team
 
Rockets 2024-2025 season in review: Reed Sheppard

Portland Trail Blazers v Houston Rockets

Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images

Reviews continue with rookie point guard Reed Sheppard.

After being drafted with the number three overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Reed Sheppard’s 2024–25 rookie season with the Houston Rockets was a journey of adaptation and growth, marked by both challenges and flashes of his potential.

Sheppard entered a Rockets team rich in young talent. Throughout the season, he appeared in 52 games, starting in 3, and averaged 4.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, while shooting with a 35.1 percent field goal mark and a 33.8 percent from deep.

However, Sheppard's lack of counting stats is not his fault. With Houston taking a leap to a higher level competitively and the numerous amount of guards on the roster, Sheppard’s playing time was limited to 12.6 minutes per game, reflecting the team’s depth and competitive rotation.

The Rockets sent Reed down to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to help him gain more experience and confidence. There, he showcased his scoring and playmaking abilities, averaging 30.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. Reed had a standout performance during his G League debut, which included a 49-point game, signaling his readiness for increased responsibilities.

It became clear that Reed Shepard was too good for the league, but this left Houston in a predicament; they were unable to play Reed, as Houston was sitting at the number two spot in a highly competitive Western Conference. However, Sheppard did get some chances to play, and in his first career start versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, he made history by recording over 25 points, 5 assists, 3 three-pointers, and at least three combined steals and blocks — a first in NBA history for player in their first start.

However, his momentum was halted by a fractured thumb in March, sidelining him for at least four weeks and impacting his late-season contribution. By the time Sheppard’s thumb was healed, the NBA regular season was mostly over, but Sheppard still had three games scoring in double digits at the tail end of the season. (One 15-point game versus the Utah Jazz on April 2, a 20-point game versus the Los Angeles Clippers on April 11, and a 14-point game versus the Los Angeles Lakers on April 13. Additionally, Reed did get some playing time in the round one playoff series versus the Golden State Warriors, but most of these minutes were garbage time, and Sheppard was unable to score in all three games he played in (Game Two, Game Five, and Game Six).

Despite a rookie season with limited NBA minutes, Sheppard’s G League success and glimpses of high-level play suggest a promising future. With continued development and opportunities, he has the potential to become a key contributor for the Rockets in the coming seasons. I expect Sheppard to earn more playing time next season and to eventually take over Aaron Holiday’s role by taking over most of his minutes.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...kets-2024-2025-season-in-review-reed-sheppard
 
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