Former NBA Champ Says “Selfish” Rockets Are Playoff Pretenders

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 22: Kevin Durant #7 high fives Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

The Houston Rockets have had some poor performances lately to make fans and pundits question their chances of playoff success. Houston choked a strong fourth quarter lead on Saturday against the New York Knicks to receive strong criticism. All-Stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun have had great seasons, but the Rockets clearly lack something that puts them behind the top three contenders in the Western Conference.

Former NBA Champion and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins buried Houston as a first-round exit if they keep playing like this:

“The Rockets are going home in the first round. Number one – they lack high basketball IQ. Number two – they’ve lost their identity defensively. They used to be a defensive minded team. I don’t know what the hell happened. Number three – They play individual, selfish basketball. They play ‘my turn’ basketball offensively.”

Perkins guaranteed that Houston will be eliminated in the first round due to their various weaknesses holding them back. Despite often being a polarizing figure for some wild comments, Perkins is actually quite fair here. The Rockets have taken steps back defensively and have a flawed offensive mindset that sacrifices team basketball right now.

How Far Can The Rockets Advance?

The first few months of the season showed the Rockets on the second tier of Western Conference contenders with the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets only behind the dominant Oklahoma City Thunder squad. However, San Antonio has rapidly passed them to become the clear second seed in the Western Conference and now hold a higher ceiling as well.

Denver is still close to Houston, but the injury woes for the Nuggets gives them more of an excuse. Most pundits still view Denver on a higher level as the top threat in the West. The Rockets are currently a tier below that, with the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Those three flawed teams don’t get much discussion as serious NBA title contenders, but they still have enough talent to dream big. Houston has time to improve their mistakes and have an outside chance at the title. However, their flaws must be fixed quickly with only two months left in the season.

Perkins Blamed Durant & Sengun Most

The best players on a team usually get the blame when a franchise with high expectations fails to meet their goals. Houston has two All-Stars and talented young players with high upsides all over the roster.

Unfortunately, Durant and Sengun are getting criticized for playing selfish basketball. Role players Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, and Reed Sheppard all have the chance to become star level players if things work out perfectly, but they have limitations for a playoff contender.

Perkins doesn’t believe the Rockets have a chance to get out of the first round. Houston likely won’t play the top dogs of Oklahoma City, Denver or San Antonio to add some questions to his statement. However, true contention remains far away unless Durant and Sengun can get more out of their young role players in the biggest games.

Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford