As playoffs loom, can Rockets change the narrative?
episodePreviously titled “As playoffs loom, can the Rockets change the narrative?” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 12, 2026
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What recent performance trends are the Rockets experiencing?
Rockets fans, welcome to the Rockets LaunchPod, an exclusive podcast from the home of the Rockets. Sports Talk 790. Red Nation, get ready. The Rockets LaunchPod starts now. Welcome aboard.
We'll be right back. All that good stuff. Anyway, jumping into today's show. It is Tuesday, the 31st of March, the final day of the month. Rockets back in action tonight against the New York Knicks.
How has Alperen Sengun's play improved recently?
Nationally televised game on NBC. A rematch of that game from Madison Square Garden right after the All-Star break. Perhaps the most brutal loss of the season. I say perhaps because the Rockets might have outdone themselves last week with the 13-point collapse in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the biggest blown overtime lead in modern NBA history. So it's a shame that we have to make that comparison. But regardless, it is an opportunity for the Rockets to get some redemption against a good team. Rockets are 45-29, tied for fifth in the West. So in terms of the race for potentially having home court advantage in the first round, Top four seeds get that.
What lineup changes are expected for the Rockets as playoffs approach?
It's a game they probably need to win. Rockets are 25-10 at home this season, but just 20-19 on the road. I think more than any standings implications, where even with the recent losses, they're still right in the mix. Spots between number three and number six in the Western Conference standings are all tightly compact at this point. I think the Rockets just need to see themselves go out and have a good game against a quality opponent, and that's what tonight represents an opportunity to get. And then you have a couple of games after that that you should be able to win. It's a three-game homestand. Tonight against the Knicks is the most difficult one. Then you've got the Bucs on Wednesday, night two of a back-to-back, and the Utah Jazz, the tanking Utah Jazz, on Friday.
So as far as today's show, we're now within two weeks of the playoffs, final eight games of the season.
Which teams should the Rockets prefer to face in the playoffs?
So we're going to be looking ahead. What do the Rockets need to get better at as they get ready for a first run series that will start the weekend of April 18th? But we'll start by looking at the positives. They do enter today on a two game winning streak and they're The biggest reason for their recent success is something of a resurgence from Alperen Shingun. He scored 30 or more points in three of his last four games, but most notably over seven games since coming back from a back injury, a stretch beginning March 18th against the Lakers. Shingun is averaging 24.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.6 blocks per game, shooting above 62% overall, and almost 67% true shooting. So the true shooting has improved for a while.
I had heard, if you listen to my Clutch Fans Live post-game shows with Dave Hardesty, I had talked to someone in the organization who said about a week ago that they were noticing some positive signs in terms of his motor, the defensive intensity, the attention to detail. The results in terms of wins and losses for the team have been mixed.
How does home-court advantage impact the Rockets' playoff chances?
Basically, the Rockets have had a two-game winning streak followed by a two-game losing streak, and then the same pattern repeated itself. That's been the case for the last eight games. So it remains to be seen what it means for the collective and whether they can make some noise in the playoffs. But even if we just look at it individually, Paolo, you've talked about Shingun a lot this season, his apparent regression from last year. Even if it doesn't necessarily translate to team success, there is something important to seeing that Alper and Shingun heading into the 2026 offseason can be something of a cornerstone player for your future. He is still just 23 years old. and a two-time All-Star. So, Paolo, let's start there in terms of what the Rockets can potentially do in the playoffs and also what it means for your outlook on Shingun entering the offseason.
If this continues, if you get something close to this version of Shingun the rest of the way, how much does it change your assessment of Shingun relative to when we last potted a couple of weeks ago and you were still pretty down on him?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What recent performance trends are the Rockets experiencing?
0:03–1:21
2
How has Alperen Sengun's play improved recently?
1:21–2:00
3
What lineup changes are expected for the Rockets as playoffs approach?
2:00–2:50
4
Which teams should the Rockets prefer to face in the playoffs?
2:50–4:00
5
How does home-court advantage impact the Rockets' playoff chances?
4:00–5:19
6
What are the implications of the Rockets' recent investment in the team?
5:19–6:58
7
What are the potential challenges for the Rockets in the playoffs?
6:58–7:55
8
How does the return of the Houston Comets affect the Rockets' future?
7:55–58:18
Speakers
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