Rockets 5 game streak is fun – now comes the hard part

The the past two weeks have been kind to the houston rocketsas they’ve won five in a row, scoring 110+ points in each game – shooting their way to the No. 1 offensive rating in the process. But now, the real work begins, as the Rockets will be challenged this weekend for the first time since they started winning.

The Rockets have wins against several teams in the bottom half of the league: the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, a depleted Boston Celtics team, the Dallas Mavericks without two centers and, most recently, the Memphis Grizzlies among their And the Morant drama.

Houston faced their seventh easiest schedule to date, losing to the two best teams they played. Meanwhile, the wins have come against opponents with a combined 14-28 record to start the year.

But the competition will intensify this weekend, as the Rockets continue their three-game road trip with matchups against the San Antonio Spurs and Milwaukee Bucks.

And while most of the stats were positive for Houston, they entered Wednesday’s game ranked fifth in turnovers per game, even with a soft schedule.

Things are about to get a lot tougher for the Rockets

This Rockets offense will be tested against the Spurs and their second defensive rating, which is sandwiched between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons – the only two teams to beat Houston this season.

Of the teams the Rockets have beaten, only the Celtics (10th) rank in the top 16 in defensive rating. Houston is still looking for its first win against a team with a winning record.

Can they continue to knock down 3-pointers at a league-best 43% clip? They may have to, as Houston is 22nd in shooting percentage from inside the arc. But the current three-point pace seems unsustainable.

Both San Antonio and Milwaukee also rank in the top 12 in offensive rating, as the Rockets continue to look solid defensively.

Houston has dominated the glass with its size this year, but will have to deal with superstars Victor Wembanyam and Giannis Antetokounmpo this weekend.

The Spurs actually score more points in the paint than Houston, while trailing them in several rebounding categories.

Monday’s win over Dallas showed promise as Houston pulled out a close game late. Both wins this week were encouraging, as the Rockets found ways to get it done even when Kevin Durant isn’t stuffing the stat sheet.

But the next two matches will not be so forgiving. Can Houston pull out a road win if Durant continues to shoot under 35% from the floor?

Right now, the Rockets are like an attractive guy with no personality who can thrive in a bar full of women. But things change when real competition enters.

Houston bullied its way to victory a year ago with a troubling defense. This year, they’re doing it with their size – dominating teams on the glass, second-chance points and trips to the foul line. Beating the bottom half of the league is one thing, but proving it against the contenders is another. And now comes the chance to do just that.

Houston will try to come out and bring home a pair of wins to close out this road trip, proving that the winning streak wasn’t all smoke and mirrors.