The Rockets have secured a playoff spot for the second consecutive year! Durant and Sengun's chemistry continues to improve, leading the team's championship push.

On April 3rd Beijing time, after the Suns fell to the Hornets, the Rockets confirmed their early entry into the playoffs, securing a postseason spot for the second year in a row. The Rockets are now on a four-game winning streak, with their performance noticeably rebounding.

The prominent American media outlet The Athletic noted that a healthy and aggressive Sengun is the key reason behind the Rockets' (47-29) revitalized performance during their current four-game winning streak—especially in the nine games since his return, where his play has been explosive. During this stretch, he averaged 23.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists, with a shooting efficiency of 63.4%. His decision-making is quicker, and he no hesitates to attack forcefully when mismatches arise in the low post.

Another notable change in Sengun's recent games is a significant increase in three-point attempts. In the first 58 games of the season, he made only 29 three-pointers total, but over the past nine games, he has hit 10 out of 18 attempts, including an outstanding performance against the Pelicans on Monday where he made 5 out of 7.

Particularly recently, the chemistry between Durant and Sengun has finally begun to flourish, energizing the entire team. The Rockets have consistently emphasized speeding up the pace and increasing off-ball movement to create space for Durant and Sengun. More importantly, their ability to read the game together has improved, leading to a more streamlined approach against high-intensity defense.

Turnovers have recently dropped sharply. Over the last three games, the Rockets averaged only 8.6 turnovers per game, marking the first time this season they have kept turnovers below 10 for three consecutive games. The team had only six games all year with turnovers equal to or fewer than 9, and two of those occurred in the recent three-game stretch.

Another clear improvement is Durant's increased composure in passing to Sengun when facing double-teams. Over the past five games, he delivered 41 assists, with at least 8 assists in four of those games, including 13 direct passes to Sengun. This doesn't even count the quick transition passes to Sengun that then turned into alley-oops to Thompson.

This set of plays has become a signature tactic for the Rockets. Consistently creating easy scoring opportunities for Thompson indicates that the entire offensive system is functioning smoothly. Despite numerous ups and downs during the season, current signs suggest that the synergy between the Rockets' two core players is steadily rising.

How far do you think the Rockets can go this season? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.