NBA power rankings: What happened to the Houston Rockets?

By JOHN DORN

Another week is in the books and more drama has unfolded in the NBA.

The Golden State Warriors still haven't lost a basketball game since June 9; Russell Westbrook might become the first player since Oscar Robertson to lead the league in scoring one year and assists in another; the Mavericks have been surprising; the Nets actually won not just one, but two games; Kristaps Porzingis jerseys are apparently sold out. That's a fact.

The biggest storyline for hoops fans, though, has to be the Houston Rockets. Many wondered how the team would react, coming off a campaign in which it posted the second-best record and traded for the talented, but troubled, point guard Ty Lawson in the offseason.

Houston quickly became a popular pick to win the NBA Finals. Three weeks into the season, the Rockets are 5-7, while rumors of internal drama involving James Harden have begun to leak. They also fired head coach Kevin McHale this week.

In our preseason poll, we had them fourth, behind title contenders like Golden State. Now, they are sitting at No. 19 in between the listless Suns and Bucks.

There's still plenty of season left, but this struggling club's future climb or continuous fall will be the most compelling story to track.

Scroll through the gallery above to see where your favorite team sits.

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