Why the Rockets are the NBA's most surprising contender

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka says his team needs to be a top- five -ranked defense.

The Rockets are ranked second in the NBA 's defensive efficiency.

Houston is 15-7 , a game and a half out of first place in the Western Conference .

It's not built around a single megawatt offensive force on the order of Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard or Nikola Joki .

Houston leads the NBA in field goal attempts per game, thanks to elite turnover avoidance.

The Rockets have gobbled up 34.5% of available offensive rebounds this season .

Only the Magic , Grizzlies and Nuggets draw more fouls per game than Houston , with bull-in-a- china -shop engün.

A real run will require real offensive creativity and cohesion: the resourcefulness to find multiple pathways to points when the game slows down and stresses out, the craft to generate good looks against the best defenses, and the skill to knock them down. Whether these Rockets can develop that — whether this top-10 offense is solid or smoke — is one of the most interesting questions in the NBA right now. You can get a long way by beating the crap out of people on the offensive glass, taking care of the ball, forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. Going all the way, though, demands more..