The Houston Rockets are sort of the Washington Wizards East.
Both teams faced perhaps not great expectations but substantial ones, relative to their previous accomplishments—Houston making the Western Conference Finals last season and Washington advancing to the second round in the East once again. Both started slowly this season. Houston responded by firing coach Kevin McHale, and while questions have arisen about Randy Wittman’s job security—as they always seem to—he remains safe as the Wizards recovered somewhat to pull together a few wins.