The Houston Rockets season ended the same way it played out too often all year. They looked deep on paper but came up short when games turned slow, physical, and half-court. The Lakers rolled into the second round with a 98-78 Game 6 victory Friday night at Toyota Center, closing out the first-round series 4-2.
Houston clawed back from a 3-0 hole to win Games 4 and 5. The comeback died fast in the decisive game. The Rockets shot just 35.0 percent from the field and 17.9 percent from three. Kevin Durant missed his fifth game of the series with an ankle injury. Alperen Sengun put up 17 points and 11 rebounds, but the supporting cast never found enough scoring punch around him.
The Frustrating Reality Behind a 52-30 Season
The Rockets finished 52-30 and built one of the stronger regular-season profiles in the West. They still boast one of the league’s best young cores. Yet injuries and roster gaps exposed the same half-court weaknesses that haunted them all year. Fred VanVleet missed the entire season. Steven Adams went down mid-year. Durant’s ankle issue flipped the entire series. The result? Another early exit and an offseason loaded with contract decisions.
Rockets Already Have 10 Players Locked In for 2026-27
This group includes Durant, Sengun, VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Adams, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Clint Capela, and J.D. Davison. VanVleet holds a $25 million player option. Davison carries a $2.6 million club option.
| Player | 2026-27 Salary |
|---|---|
| Kevin Durant | $43.9 million |
| Alperen Sengun | $35.6 million |
| Fred VanVleet | $25.0 million (player option) |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | $23.6 million |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | $13.3 million |
| Steven Adams | $13.0 million |
| Amen Thompson | $12.3 million |
| Reed Sheppard | $11.1 million |
| Clint Capela | $7.0 million |
| J.D. Davison | $2.6 million (club option) |
The roster brings size, defense, rebounding, and young upside. It also carries spacing questions, ball-handling concerns, and health risks at the top.
Durant and Sengun Form the Core — But Health and Fit Matter
Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 52.0 percent shooting and 41.4 percent from three when healthy. At 38 entering next season, he still delivers elite half-court creation. The ankle issue reminded everyone how fragile that window is. Sengun delivered All-Star numbers — 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists on 51.9 percent shooting. He runs offense from the elbows, punishes switches, and hits cutters. The challenge remains building enough shooting and defensive coverage around him.
VanVleet’s player option looms large. He missed the full season, forcing Thompson and Sheppard into bigger roles. If healthy, he restores structure, shooting, and late-game control. Without him, the young guards carry too much half-court load again.
Thompson, Sheppard, and the Young Core Still Carry the Future
Amen Thompson exploded for 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 53.4 percent from the field. The 23-year-old defends at an elite level and dominates in transition. His 20.0 percent three-point shooting, however, creates defensive help opportunities in the playoffs. Reed Sheppard added 13.5 points and shot 40.0 percent from three. He supplies movement shooting and quick decisions. Jabari Smith Jr. posted 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds on solid but inconsistent nights. Tari Eason enters restricted free agency with a $8.0 million qualifying offer — his defense and energy make him worth keeping at the right price.
You could feel the tension every time the crowd held its breath on a potential three that rimmed out. These young pieces flash star potential, but they still need the right veterans around them to win when games slow down.
Frontcourt Money and Spacing Questions Demand Answers
Adams and Capela give physicality and rebounding, but neither spaces the floor. Finney-Smith fits as a low-usage wing who defends and shoots. The Rockets cannot keep running too many non-shooting bigs in the playoffs unless the perimeter shooting improves dramatically. Lineups with Sengun, Thompson, and another average shooter often became too cramped when defenses loaded the paint.
The Offseason Direction Starts With Clarity
Coach Ime Udoka faces a key tactical call on Thompson — keep him as a downhill force and wing defender rather than a full-time lead guard. VanVleet’s return would help unlock that. The front office must add dependable perimeter creation and shooting without panic-selling the core. They cannot waste Durant’s remaining prime or Sengun’s All-Star window.
The Rockets own enough talent to run it back. The Game 6 score — 78 points on miserable shooting — showed they still lack enough answers in the half-court when it matters most. The contract sheet says they have players. The playoffs said they need a sharper fit.
The front office does not need to blow it up. It needs to get exact. More shooting around Sengun. More creation behind Durant. More clarity on every young piece’s role. Get those right, and this group returns next spring with a real shot to push deeper. Miss them, and the same early-exit story repeats.
