NBA Notes: Rockets, Fred VanVleet, Knicks, Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton

Rockets

It doesn’t seem like a lot of people nationally are talking about the Rockets. But hey, maybe the playoffs will change all that.

Houston (52-27) enters Wednesday firmly in second place in the Western Conference standings. It will mark the Rockets’ first playoff appearance in five years.

“The Rockets made good on their stated goal of advancing to the postseason for the first time since the 2019-20 season and Ime Udoka deserves Coach of the Year consideration for his role in shifting the culture in Houston,” wrote ESPN’s Michael Wright. “In addition to bringing in veterans such as Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet, Udoka was adamant in his vision to build a tough, physical team that emphasized defense and hustle. That helped Houston improve on its 41 wins from last season and surpass the 50-win mark this time.

“Internally, the Rockets are pleased with the development of young players such as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson.”

But yeah, the postseason is how everyone is judged.

“How Houston performs in the playoffs will determine the route the club will take this offseason,” Wright wrote. “VanVleet has a team option next season ($44.8 million) but a restricted new deal would add flexibility for a franchise teeming with assets and pondering whether to add a big-name star.”

Knicks

The Knicks have been a hard team to figure out, struggling against the NBA’s elite. That said, the big offseason moves for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges have gone mostly as expected.

“By winning at least 50 games for the second consecutive season and finishing near their preseason over/under win total of 53.5, New York has essentially met its preseason expectations to be one of the East’s best teams,” wrote ESPN’s Chris Herring. “But it’d also be fair to feel as if this new-look group hasn’t done enough against elite competition. The club’s 0-9 mark against Cleveland, Boston and Oklahoma City — the teams with the NBA’s three best records — raises questions about whether the Knicks can be competitive beyond the first round of the playoffs.”

Pacers

The Pacers made a run to the Eastern Conference finals last season and are again considered a darkhorse possibility this year.

“Indiana is closing in on locking up the No. 4 seed in the East, a strong and successful campaign following an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals last season, especially considering the Pacers were under .500 at the start of January,” wrote ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “Tyrese Haliburton has looked like a star in the second half of the season and Indiana will likely have homecourt in the first round of the playoffs, giving them a more favorable path toward another deep run in the postseason.”