NBA Power Rankings Week 7: The revenge of the Los Angeles Lakers

Last Week: Beat Oklahoma City Thunder 136-106, Lost to Oklahoma City Thunder 104-87, Beat Memphis Grizzlies 115-103, Lost to San Antonio Spurs 111-106

This Week: 2/8 at Charlotte Hornets, 2/9 at New Orleans Pelicans, 2/11 vs. Miami Heat, 2/13 at New York Knicks

After a hot streak, the Houston Rockets have started to regress to the mean. Watching them dominate the Oklahoma City Thunder by 30 points and then come back two days later and score 49 fewer points was befuddling. The unfortunate key difference is something the Rockets will have to deal with over the coming weeks.

Christian Wood struggled in the second game with the Oklahoma City Thunder due to an ankle issue that was further exacerbated in the win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Now Wood is being evaluated on a week to week basis. Wood is one of the best stories of the season thus far, as are the Rockets as a whole so any amount of extended time missed is a bummer.

All hope is not lost luckily. Eric Gordon looks like a totally different player playing alongside John Wall instead of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. What once looked like an albatross contract now actually looks favorable. Throw in the increasingly fun progression of 25-year old rookie Jae’Sean Tate and there is plenty to enjoy about the new Houston Rockets.

The defense is still rolling and is the new identity of this team of misfits. If they are all going to continue to play with the chip on their shoulder, they will remain a feisty bunch.