Huge grain of salt here.  Huge.  But I thought this was fun.  I have data from NBA.com dating back to the 1996-1997 season, and the Rockets’ current 47.7% field goal percentage is higher than the team’s final percentage in any of the years during that time frame.  Impressive considering how much better defenses have gotten in the modern era.  Incidentally, the second highest accuracy was that ’97 team that went to the Conference Finals, having shot 46.8% over the year.  Of course, it’s only been 22 games thus far and this year’s mark could possibly regress or b) one of those previous teams might have had a higher mark at this point in their season.  Having said that, I do think this 22 game sample size is a very accurate reflection of this team’s prowess.

Looking at the data, this year’s 107.8 offensive rating stands as the second best during the period cited.  The 43-39 2010-2011 team posted an offensive rating of 108 points per 100 possessions.  That previously cited ’97 team only scored 105.8 points per possession.  That difference is likely largely due in part to the fact that those geriatric Barkley/Drexler Rockets walked the ball up the floor and threw it into the post every trip down, at a snail’s pace.  Oh wait.  I forgot, scratch that; offensive rating (i.e. points per possession) is inclusive of pace discrepancies unlike the archaic “points per game” numbers you see cited on your local broadcast.

This year’s team also has a much higher net rating than any of the previous Rockets teams included in the data.  That ’97 team had a net rating of +4.4; the McGrady ’07 team ten years later posted one of +6.4  On the flip side, Francis’ 2001-2002 team posted a net rating of -6.1.  Oh dear.  I think that might have been the year they started Walt Williams and Matt Bullard in tandem across the frontline.  I’m too horrified to look.

Okay, that’s it.  That’s all I have for today.  I’m going to go get ready for work.