Perception vs. Reality: What the NBA Cup Showed Us About the Rockets

Thanks to another lethargic showing on offense, the Houston Rockets (17-9) lost in the NBA Cup semifinals to the Thunder. But on the back of elite defense, they did make it to Las Vegas after finally ending a prolonged losing streak to the Warriors in the quarterfinal. With the season on a brief Cup-related pause, Wednesday’s The Lager Line podcast (sponsored by Karbach Brewing) explores what we’ve learned about the 2024-25 Rockets with the regular season about a third complete.

Discussion topics for our Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves include why the Rockets’ reality is better than many of the current perceptions; whether it’s time to make any drastic changes to the offense and the role of struggling veteran Fred VanVleet; and how the upcoming schedule offers a big opportunity as the calendar heads toward 2025.