I'm not sure what the hell got into this Houston Rockets squad, but whatever it is, I like it.

An article came out about a week or two ago about how the Rockets wanted to follow the "Denver model" with this year's team. It's safe to say the envy didn't last long. The Rockets beat Denver on the road, beat fellow starless darlings Portland on the road and now stand in fourth place in a tough Western Conference with a record of 16-11.

The season is in a stage where you can get away with saying it's still "early," but it's really not. The Rockets are nearly halfway through their schedule (the tenth toughest in the league, mind you). A month ago, we were wondering when the Rockets could be written off and when Tankapalooza 2012 could begin. Suddenly, the Rockets have put together a legitimate playoff resume with a team that isn't getting as much as usual from former consistency kings, Kevin Martin and Luis Scola.

There was a point back near the beginning of the season where I tried to defend this squad for what it was: unproven. The youngsters had taken off so quickly that we had forgotten they were still youngsters and had plenty of room to grow. They appear to be growing, and in doing so, they're saving the starters' hides with some fantastic bench play.

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Through 22 games, the Rockets have shown enough promise to make some observers think they could challenge for a playoff berth in the always-strong Western Conference. However, with their moves in the past year, the Rockets appear to have much bigger ambitions on their mind, most notably in the free agency class of 2012.

Nobody is saying that the Rockets have a good shot at Dwight Howard or Deron Williams, but with the Rockets creating cap flexibility much like other teams in the league, they can position themselves to bring both in if the other parties are willing.

The Rockets are not the only ones who have been intentional in recent years to rid themselves of long-term deals to lower their cap obligations in future years; their in-state rivals, the Mavericks, have done so as well, letting Tyson Chandler go and trading for Lamar Odom and his expiring contract, among other moves.

Here's what Mark Cuban had to say in an email to ESPNDallas's Tim McMahon:

The reality is that in the new system, cap room will have far more value than it had in the past. I realize that everyone is all freaked out about how and where free agents and future free agents are going, but it's not just about getting one guy.

In the past, it was different. If we had a problem, I could fix any mistake by having Donnie find a trade and just taking on more money. That is how we got Jet, the Matrix, JKidd, Tyson. It was always about taking on more money. That trick doesn't work any more for teams over the tax. So we have to change our approach. By getting back under the cap, we have a ton of flexibility not only for free agent signings but also trades. If we can get the right guy(s) via free agency, great. If we do it via trade, great. We have that much more flexibility to make moves.

McMahon's entire post is worth reading, this is just a sampling of what Cuban had to say. After the jump, we'll look at a number of avenues Daryl Morey could explore over the coming months.

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The deadline for taking up team options on contracts was today (1/25/12) and the Houston Rockets decided not to entertain bringing back any of the 2009 draft collections they have amassed. The Rockets state that the reason for doing so is to acquire as much cap space as possible this summer. It seems like the Rockets are going all in on free agency and we’ve been through this song and dance before. This works out since I was going to do a "State of the Rockets Address." Not trying to cut in on OAL’s article but why not have multiple views, eh? After the jump we’ll look at the implications in this move but what you need to know will be above the jump:

Jordan Hill, Hasheem Thabeet, Johnny Flynn, and Terrence Williams will become Unrestricted Free Agents, Courtney Lee will be a Restricted Free Agent. The Rockets will acquire 16 million dollars in additional cap space bringing their total cap bill to 42 million dollars. If they don’t bring back Courtney Lee that number expands to 39 million for 19 million in savings. After the jump, for confirmation via Twitter, click the link.

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We have to hand it to the New York Knicks. They go to all this trouble to rebuild the franchise and acquire star power and in the middle of such a pursuit, it appears they may have misfired in pairing Amar'e Stoudemire with Carmelo Anthony. What, you expected a team that sports two WTF defenders under coach Mike D'Antoni to suddenly improve on defense because they said, "Uh, we'll try?"

Maybe things will work out for the Knicks. The Eastern Conference reeks, plain and simple. But let's hope things don't work out, because the Houston Rockets own the Knicks' pick this year. The lousier New York plays, the closer Houston invariably gets to selecting a top-flight big man. Say it with me, Rockets fans: "LET'S BLOW, KNICKS!"

All signs point to New York improving its record solely because of the number of Terribles in the East. And despite their flaws, Amar'e and Carmelo are still very good players. Surely they'll rise out of the lottery. But perhaps not, if you're an optimist. Take a look at this:

This is the RPI scorecard from ESPN, aka "How Tough Is Your Schedule?" The Knicks have played the third-lamest schedule in basketball, yet they're three games under .500. Given their conference and division, they're not likely to enter a guantlet in the second half of the year, but just looking at some of their opponents, they'll be tested more so than they have been thus far.

So, I'll put it to you guys: Will the Knicks make the playoffs? Will the Rockets regret swapping draft picks?

I'd like to take full advantage of Chandler Parsons' recent baptism as an NBA starter. Just a second round pick, Parsons has continued Daryl Morey's recent trend of scoring what Colonel Hans Landa would flamboyantly refer to as, "That's a BINGO!"

So, in case you aren't up to date on Morey's genius or the phenomenal timeline (during his tenure) that paved the way for the current starting lineup (which is quite good, don't you forget), have a seat, grab that Capri Sun and refresh yourself:

PG: Kyle Lowry -- Acquired from Memphis for Rafer Alston. Also received Brian Cook, for the occasional laugh.

SG: Kevin Martin -- Acquired from Sacramento for Carl Landry. Selected Landry in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft.

SF: Chandler Parsons -- Selected Parsons in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.

PF: Luis Scola -- Acquired from San Antonio for Vassilis Spanoulis and a second round pick. Also received Jackie Butler, whom we can all thank for brilliantly serving his role as a salary dumpee.

C: Samuel Dalembert -- Signed Dalembert to a two-year deal with a team option after the first year. The Golden State Warriors signed Kwame Brown to a contract that pays a similar yearly amount.

To recap this little rags-to-riches story, Houston's starting lineup consists of the following:

Three second round picks, Rafer Alston, Vassilis Spanoulis and a free agent at a great price. You all may now collect your jaws from the floor.

Wave goodbye to the tough opponents, Rockets fans. They're merely a sunset in your rearview mirror. Now, we enter Fun January, where the Rockets hit the road just twice and play host to a handful of the dregs of the league. It's a well-timed break for the good guys -- they seem to be hitting their stride just in time for the cupcakes.

Cupcakes, however, do not serve their tasty purpose unless devoured properly. If the Rockets let their guard down against lesser opponents as they have in the past, we're in for some frustrating basketball. So, let's hope Kevin McHale and crew prove that the sub-.500 record is merely a reflection of a tough schedule. They've certainly played better than a three-win team.

Here's what we're looking at in the coming weeks:

HOME GAMES (Road record in parentheses):

Sacramento: 4-7 (1-4)

Portland: 7-3 (1-2)

Detroit: 2-8 (0-4)

New Orleans: 3-7 (2-3)

San Antonio: 7-4 (0-4)

Milwaukee: 3-6 (0-6)

Washington: 1-9 (0-5)

New York: 6-4 (3-2)

Minnesota: 3-7 (1-2)

ROAD GAMES (Home record in parentheses):

Washington: 1-9 (1-4)

Minnesota: 3-7 (2-5)

Look at that. That's just glorious. That's a piece of winning a la mode with a cherry on top.

Even better, the two teams Houston plays that are legitimately scary (Portland and San Antonio) are far less scary when they're away from home. The Rockets also get Milwaukee, Washington and Detroit at home. Combined, those three teams are winless on the road.

If you're looking for a few key games, I'd peg January 19 against New Orleans and January 28 against the New York Knicks as two games to watch. The Hornets have always given Houston trouble (though I suspect without David West and Chris Paul they'll be far less intimidating) and New York has put together a solid early road record.

Overall, the Rockets should aim to emerge from January with a winning record, 11-10. I'd understand three losses against this bunch. Also, if you'd like to make a difference, go to as many of these home games as you can and cheer and do other stuff.

(Put it this way: If Terrence Williams doesn't see the floor this month, against these teams, it's over).

As the Rockets have so painfully demonstrated in the last three seasons, there is nothing more difficult in the NBA than replacing stars. Five years ago, the Rockets started Tracy McGrady at the small forward spot and Yao Ming at center. Now, those roles are held by rookie Chandler Parsons and our favorite goaltender Samuel Dalembert.

Both have outperformed expectations to a certain degree (Parsons certainly more so than Dalembert), but the fact that their roles are so large speaks volumes about where the Rockets are today. As easy as it once was to say that the Rockets are the model for depth and all that, great teams need quality depth to succeed, and that is simply lacking on this roster.

So for now, just as nearly every analyst preached in the off-season, the Rockets needs remain the same: first and foremost finding a star, but also filling the small forward and center spots adequately.

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The Rockets game was tough to watch last night. Granted, the Lakers in L.A. are always a tough test for the good guys, but here are five reasons, excuses and/or random observations that I think contributed to the loss:

1. Kobe Bryant is (still) good. At basketball that is.

Granted, he may not be a good person, but "good people" are rarely successful in hyper competitive environments. No one has ever accused Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Clemens, Ray Lewis, Floyd Mayweather or a whole host of other champion athletes of being good "people" generally. It's actually a detriment to their job.

2. Luis Scola is not a center.

This is now the second time Scola has been pressed into center duty against a true 7'+ center in crunch time. It did not work out very well against the Magic. And it went horribly awry last night against Andrew Bynum (who is desperately trying to get Kobe's love and attention by playing better).

3. Kevin Martin is not happy it's 2012.

A year ago, the mere sight of Kevin Martin set the referees' whistles all atwitter. Then the NBA emphasized certain parts of the game and dictated that the referees not blow the whistle in certain situations. All of the situations where Speed Racer had previously thrived. Now he's going to the basket, trying to draw contact, and is hearing nothing but the sound of the ball being thrown back in his face. This is problematic. Especially since he's having trouble consistently hitting open shots on the road.

4. Cindy Crawford: still attractive.

Cindy Crawford may be 45 years old. She's still otherworldly attractive. As demonstrated last night when she sat next to the Rockets' bench and proceeded to distract the entire roster during the game.

(Also, when looking up Ms. Crawford's age, I realized she shares the same birthday as Kurt Cobain. Odd.)

5. Kevin McHale's Purple Tie (not pictured only because I can't find the picture)

The Lakers were the home team last night. Their colors are Forum Blue and Gold. For those that are not color blind, "Forum Blue" = purple. So....... for some completely unexplainable reason, Kevin McHale decided to accentuate his sideline attire with a purple goddamn tie.

That only served to piss off the basketball gods. Next thing you know, the box score reads 108-99.


*** also, bonus reason: yesterday was January 3rd. Houston sports teams do not fare well on the road on January 3rd. It usually ends badly.