Rockets Open 4-0 and Climb to No. 1 in NBA Power Rankings

The Houston Rockets are 4-0 after the opening week of the 2026-27 NBA season, and that start has earned them the No. 1 spot in CBS Sports' latest power rankings. The ranking comes as several Western Conference rivals deal with significant injuries.

The result looks even more notable against preseason expectations. Houston's win total line was set at 48.5, even though the team won 52 games last season without a true point guard and played the second half of the schedule without Steven Adams. The Rockets also finished last season as the No. 8 offense and No. 6 defense, and they went 1-7 in overtime games, which suggests the 52 wins undersold them.

With VanVleet and Adams back, the offense looks markedly different. Kevin Durant has said VanVleet's presence lets the team settle into comfortable roles again, ending the point guard by committee approach. According to Synergy, Durant initiated pick-and-roll possessions on almost 18% of his plays last season. That figure has dropped to 7.3%, while his spot-up and transition numbers have risen. He is averaging 23.5 points on 54/47 shooting splits.

The benefits reach well beyond Durant. Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are catching the ball on the move and attacking downhill. Houston is averaging three more assists per game than last year and generating nearly 10 more points per game off those assists. The Rockets ranked in the bottom 10 in total passes per game last season and now rank in the top 10.

Alperen Sengun has been central to that change, operating as a high hub. He is averaging 24.5 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on 58% shooting, and he has made six of nine 3-pointers. Defenders who stay on him one-on-one risk being overpowered at the rim, and those who help off leave Durant open for a spot-up shot or a long, athletic teammate cutting to the basket. Reed Sheppard has added another look, running two-man actions and hunting shots without having to serve as the primary organizer.

The West also appears more open than usual. Oklahoma City has lost Jalen Williams for the season, and Cason Wallace is out for an extended period with a torn labrum. Minnesota is likely to be without Anthony Edwards through Christmas. San Antonio is still sorting out lineups built around three guards, and Victor Wembanyama has not yet looked like the dominant force many predicted.

That context led the author of the rankings to argue that this could be a one-year window for Houston to make an aggressive move. The writer pointed to the Rockets' draft capital and young talent as assets that could be packaged for nearly any available player. Adding a point guard such as De'Aaron Fox or Kyrie Irving was floated as an option, with the author expressing doubt that San Antonio would help a direct rival by trading Fox in season.

An Irving deal, the writer suggested, could work for both sides. Dallas could collect more picks to build around Cooper Flagg, and Smith might be included in a trade. The author called Houston a shadow contender as currently constructed and said that with a player like Irving added, the team would have a real chance.