Houston Rockets: 3 takeaways from slow start

After getting within a game of reaching the NBA Finals last year, the Houston Rockets are off to arguably one of their worst starts in recent memory, posting a 1-5 record through the first six games on the 2018-19 campaign. Here are the three key takeaways from Clutch City’s slow start.

Despite entering the 2018-19 season regarded by many as one of the top teams in all of basketball, the Houston Rockets have stumbled slowly out of the gates. As the team that finished last season with the best record in basketball, the Rockets currently sit among the bottom-feeders of the Western Conference standings.

Houston, which posted a franchise-best 65-17 record en route to reaching the 2018 Western Conference Finals, posted a 1-5 record in the month of October, dropping its first four home contests by an average of 17.2 points per game. The Rockets are currently tied with the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers for the fewest wins in the NBA.

"“Right now, we’re playing like crap,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters at his press conference following Houston’s 104-85 loss to Portland on Tuesday night. “We’ll look and we’ll fight it…we’re on our heels.”"

Now, the Rockets find themselves trying to get back into the win column, as the squad that rarely appeared to miss a beat a year ago is working to find its footing heading into the new month.

With that being said, here are the three most important takeaways from Clutch City’s abysmal start.