Houston Rockets: Sam Dekker Has Found His Rhythm This Season

Sam Dekker has become the unexpected offensive force off the bench for the Houston Rockets this season. He has improved significantly from last season.

Last season, Sam Dekker was just a rookie who did not get any playing time. He did not have a huge presence on the court when he was out there, and he did not have much of a role on the team. Drafted as the 18th overall pick in the 2015 by the Houston Rockets, his abilities were not well showcased in his first season.

Dekker played in the Rockets’ preseason games last season. But he only had playing time in just three of the first 11 regular season games. Then the forward was ruled out for three months due to a back injury. His rookie season basically amounted to nothing.

Now, Dekker has become quite the offensive force that nobody expected, which started with an increase in playing time. Last season, Dekker only averaged six minutes of playing time in his three games.

The former Wisconsin player is averaging 18.5 minutes per game, and he has benefited and taken advantage of every single minute of it. Dekker’s improvement only adds to the phenomenal season that the Rockets are having. With a record of 16-7, the Rockets are ranked fourth in the West.

Of his increased playing time, Dekker said, accoring to chron.com, “I think a level of expectation goes with every game. They expect me to play at a high level. They’re trusting me to be an integral part of the rotation. I wouldn’t call it pressure. I’m trying to do that every night, not get too high or too low, keeping learning.”