{"id":1599973,"date":"2024-10-14T09:00:45","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T13:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/?p=1599973"},"modified":"2024-10-14T09:00:45","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T13:00:45","slug":"one-question-for-each-nba-team-in-the-2024-2025-southwest-division","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/news\/one-question-for-each-nba-team-in-the-2024-2025-southwest-division\/","title":{"rendered":"One Question For Each NBA Team In The 2024-2025 Southwest Division"},"content":{"rendered":"
The NBA season is around the corner, and to preview the upcoming year, our group of experts has been asked to think of one question for every team.<\/p>\n
Here it is for the Southwest division!<\/p>\n
After three seasons of nestling near the bottom of the league, year four of the Houston Rockets\u2019 rebuild saw them enjoy sizable steps forward. Free agent acquisitions Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks proved instrumental in helping vault Houston from 22 to 41 wins, while youngsters such as Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn and Jabari Smith Jr. progressed vitally and swimmingly in their own rights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The backbone of the Rockets\u2019 Play-In hopes resided in their defense. Flirting with a top-five finish much of the season, they ended seventh in defensive rating — anchored by the likes of Brooks, VanVleet, and Amen Thompson. Yet they ultimately fell five games short of the 10 seed because of a rickety, cumbersome, 20th-ranked offense.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As they enter 2024-25, aspirations of a postseason appearance will be contingent on their youthful cadre to trend that offense closer toward league average or better. Jalen Green is readying for year four following another underwhelming, mercurial campaign. Can he fine-tune his pacing and finishing as a driver? Can he become a bona fide floor-spacer for a team desperately seeking it?<\/span><\/p>\n How can Smith build upon his positive second season? Will \u015eeng\u00fcn ride his breakout into full-fledged stardom and further diversify his scoring arsenal?<\/span><\/p>\n What does the versatile combo guard Reed Sheppard provide in his inaugural season? Does the appeal of his on- and off-ball duality alleviate some ball-handling burden for VanVleet and shift less focus on a long-awaited leap from Green?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What does Thompson\u2019s usage\/role look like, and how much do his slashing and playmaking pop? Is there any progress with his jumper? Does Cam Whitmore parlay an encouraging final four months of 2023-24 into becoming an electric, malleable reserve scorer?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tari Eason was saddled with injury last year and is a dynamite defender, but growth as a finisher and shooter would be welcomed wrinkles, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n General development from any or all of these players should behoove the Rockets. I expect their aggressive, connected defense will be stingy again. But to really ascend to another tier in this crowded Western Conference, the offense must improve. The most plausible route for that improvement is through their stockpile of young, recently talented draftees. <\/span>\u2013 Jackson Frank\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n We can talk about Zion Williamson\u2019s health all day, but the truth is that even if he is in uniform, the New Orleans Pelicans will be hampered by their poor roster construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To seriously compete for an NBA Championship, there is a certain talent threshold your roster needs to hit. The Pelicans qualify in this regard. But along with talent, you also need lineup balance to hang with the big dogs.<\/span><\/p>\nNew Orleans Pelicans: <\/b>Will they ever make the right trade?<\/span><\/h2>\n