Thanks to another lethargic showing on offense, the Rockets (17-9) lost in the semifinals of the NBA Cup to the Thunder. But on the back of elite defense, they did make it to Las Vegas after finally ending a prolonged losing streak to the Warriors in the quarterfinal.

With the schedule on a brief Cup-related pause, Wednesday’s show explores what we’ve learned about the 2024-25 Rockets with the regular season about a third complete. Discussion topics include why the Rockets’ reality is better than many current perceptions; whether it’s time to make any drastic changes to the offense and the role of struggling veteran Fred VanVleet; and how the upcoming schedule offers a big opportunity as the calendar heads toward 2025.