MEMPHIS — The Houston Rockets aren’t just the best offensive rebounding team in the NBA. They’ve held the undisputed crown since last season — and it really hasn’t been close.

Now, they’re taking it to a different level.

Per Cleaning The Glass, the Rockets grabbed an offensive rebound on 35.7 percent of their misses in half-court possessions last season, which was No. 1 in the NBA by nearly three percentage points.

This season, that number has jumped to 42.4 percent in half-court possessions. The next best team is the Detroit Pistons at 35.8 percent.

Now, they’re looking for ways to add to what they do best so they can turn into one of the most devastating offensive attacks in the NBA.

It’s not an accident that the Rockets are here. They knew how good they were on the offensive glass last season and chose to double down on that strategy, making it an essential part of their identity.

Key contributors like Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. were already some of the best offensive rebounders in the league at their respective positions. But Steven Adams is now fully healthy after working his way back from knee issues that dated back to the 2022-23 season. Houston also added size to its lineup by trading for Kevin Durant and acquiring Clint Capela via a sign-and-trade over the summer. Free-agent signee Dorian Finney-Smith will also add more size and strength to this group once he eventually returns from offseason ankle surgery.

In the regular-season opener, Houston wanted to claim its stake as the biggest, toughest team in the league when it unveiled one of the biggest starting lineups in NBA history. Against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets went with Thompson, Durant, Smith, Şengün and Adams as their starting five, with the smallest player in that group being the 6-foot-7, 209-pound Thompson.

The Rockets have gone through some ups and downs in their 5-2 start, but the one constant through the first few weeks of the regular season has been their ability to push teams around in the paint and create easy looks by attacking the offensive boards.

It might not always be pretty in a league where pace and outside shooting dominate on most nights. But the Rockets’ biggest weapon has been consistently effective for them since the start of last season and they’re looking for ways to add to that success.

“It really sustained us at times last year when we had poor shooting nights,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said after Wednesday’s 124-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. “This year, the numbers are up offensively, and the numbers are up with our offensive rebounds as well.”

This is where the 2025-26 Rockets have become a different animal.

While last year’s Rockets leaned on speed and athleticism to find success on offense, when the game slowed down, grabbing offensive rebounds was usually their best path to creating efficient offense.

Per Cleaning The Glass, the Rockets were No. 22 in half-court efficiency last season, and their struggles to execute in high-pressure moments played a big part in them getting bounced out of the playoffs in the first round after an emotional seven-game series against the Golden State Warriors.

This year, with Durant in the fold along with improved play from Şengün and Thompson, the Rockets have jumped to No. 12 in half-court efficiency. And they’ve achieved that level of success with Durant and the rest of his teammates still learning how to play together. The expectation is that the efficiency will only improve as the chemistry within this group improves.

The formula for success the 2024-25 Rockets leaned on has been quite common throughout NBA history. When teams aren’t great at scoring in half-court situations, it only makes sense to create more opportunities. In most cases, the best shots a team can create — whether it be putbacks at the rim or kick-out 3-pointers — come off offensive rebounds.

According to the Cleaning The Glass database, which dates back to the 2003-04 season, 11 teams have ended a season No. 1 in offensive rebounding and in the bottom 10 of scoring efficiency during half-court possessions. Last year’s Rockets were one of those 11 teams.

This year, the goal is to remain No. 1 in offensive rebounding while also jumping into the top 10 in scoring efficiency when the game slows down. Coincidentally, the last team to pull off that feat was the 2016-17 Oklahoma City Thunder, which also prominently featured Durant and Adams in its starting lineup.

“It’s a double ‘good problem’ to have: You make more shots, and when you miss them, you go get them at a higher rate,” Udoka said. “We’ve just got more size and athleticism across the board.”

A not-so-secret aspect of Houston’s recent dominance on the offensive glass has been the 32-year-old Adams, who will go down as one of the best players in NBA history at creating second-chance opportunities.

While it’s been an uphill battle in recent years for the 12-year veteran to stay healthy, he has looked as bouncy as ever this year when he has played. Adams missed Wednesday’s game with left hip flexor tightness, but it’s believed to be a minor injury.

As his activity and playing time have steadily increased, his production has risen to nearly career-high levels. Against certain opponents, he looks like a giant oak tree in the middle of the lane that no one can move.

Per Cleaning The Glass, Adams has grabbed an offensive rebound on 23.1 percent of his team’s misses in half-court possessions, which is, by far, the best rate in the NBA. Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate is second at 17.6 percent

The Rockets used double-big lineups in spurts at the end of last season as they sought more ways to create advantages. This year, the double-big alignments are a key aspect of how they want to play.

While it is a small sample size after six games with Adams in the lineup, the Rockets are demolishing teams when Şengün shifts to power forward and plays with another center next to him. According to Cleaning The Glass, the Rockets have outscored opponents by a whopping 25.8 points per 100 possessions when Şengün and Adams have shared the floor this season. When Şengün and Capela play together, the Rockets are outscoring opponents by 34.3 points per 100 possessions.

“Steven is a beast down in the paint. It’s impossible to move him,” Şengün told The Athletic. “He’s been amazing for us this season. He’s moving really well, and he’s a big part of the team we want to become. He makes the game way easier for me.”

Although it’s come in limited minutes, Capela has been an effective alternative to Adams at center. The 31-year-old has 17 offensive rebounds in 76 minutes this season. With Adams out on Wednesday, Capela grabbed 10 rebounds (four offensive) in 16 minutes.

He’s ferocious attacking the offensive glass, and he’s become very comfortable cutting into open space and throwing down easy dunks when Şengün finds him.

Kevin Durant -> Alperen Şengün -> Clint Capela for the dunk. pic.twitter.com/fwPCDD8ck6

— Rockets Clips (@Rockets_Clips) November 6, 2025

With Capela in the mix, the Rockets plan on taking a patient approach with Adams this season, allowing him to rest on certain nights to make sure he’s healthy come playoff time.

“That was the plan getting him this summer,” Udoka said of Capela. “It was to kind of triple down on the bigs and the double-big lineups, knowing we’re going to hold Steven out on some back-to-backs, and when that happens, we won’t have a big dropoff. He’s been very good in limited minutes this year so far.”

Will this formula lead Houston into legitimate title contention?

It’s still too early to tell.

However, as so many teams are still searching for an identity and an advantage they can go to against most opponents, the Rockets are very comfortable knowing what they do best. Finding more ways to put Durant in advantageous positions will be an ongoing process.

But whenever the Rockets miss a shot, opposing teams know the battle has only begun.