The Houston Rockets won 22 games in 2022-23. They didn’t collect their sixth victory until Dec. 2 amid a 6-16 start last season.

This season, the Rockets are 6-3, have a six-game winning streak and, on Sunday, they beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets 107-104 behind 26 points from veteran guard Fred VanVleet and 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal from third-year center Alperen Sengun.

They also have impressive back-to-back wins against the Sacramento Kings, a rout over the Los Angeles Lakers and a victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Now, seven of Houston’s first nine games were at home, and nine of its next 13 are on the road. Let’s see how that plays out.

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But general manager Rafael Stone assembled talented and promising young players and veterans, and first-year Rockets coach Ime Udoka is teaching them how to succeed. That is reflected in this week’s USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings (records are through Sunday’s games):

1. Philadelphia 76ers (8-1)

With James Harden out of the picture, the Sixers can focus on basketball behind the stellar play of MVP Joel Embiid and blossoming star Tyrese Maxey who scored a career-high 50 points (with seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks) Sunday.

2. Denver Nuggets (8-2)

The champion Nuggets started right where they left off last season – winning with team ball, Nikola Jokic’s dominance and the league’s No. 1 shooting team from the field (50.3%).

3. Boston Celtics (7-2)

Boasting a top-three offense and defense and the top-performing starting five with a plus-14 net rating and Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis averaging at least 19.6 points, the Celtics are off to the start they needed.

4. Dallas Mavericks (8-2)

The Mavericks have the No. 2 offense led by Luka Doncic, an impressive rookie in Derrick Lively and solid production from summer free-agent signing Grant Williams. Let’s see if they can improve defensively.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves (7-2)

The Timberwolves are locked in defensively with the NBA’s No. 1 rating, allowing just 102 points per 100 possessions, and they have an All-NBA candidate in Anthony Edwards.

6. Houston Rockets (6-3)

No. 10 offensively, No. 5 defensively and No. 7 in net rating, it’s easy to see the potential in the Rockets and their young core featuring Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Jae’Sean Tate and Amen Thompson.

7. Indiana Pacers (6-4)

Led by seven players averaging double figures in points (23.8 points, 12.2 assists per game for Tyrese Haliburton) and two more players within a bucket of double figures, the Pacers are the top-rated offense (122 points per 100 possessions) and No. 1 in assists per game (30.7)

8. New York Knicks (5-4)

The Knicks have won three consecutive games, and they’re doing it with the No. 2 defense at 104.7 points allowed per 100 possessions and the league’s best defensive rebounding team.

9. Orlando Magic (5-4)

The Magic are fourth defensively, No. 2 in steals, No. 4 in defensive rebounding percentage, and like Houston, they have a promising young core with Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and Wendell Carter Jr.

10. Golden State Warriors (6-5)

Steph Curry sure doesn’t look 35 years old – averaging 30.7 points, making 5.6 3-pointers per game, shooting 48.8% from the field and 44.6% on 3s and on pace to challenge his record for most 3s in a season (402).

11. Atlanta Hawks (5-4)

Three of the Hawks’ victories this season were comebacks from deficits of at least 10 points, including a 127-113 victory against Minnesota after trailing by 21.

12. Miami Heat (6-4)

Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro (now out with a sprained ankle) are off to good starts, but Miami’s offense still struggles.

13. Oklahoma City Thunder (6-4)

Josh Giddey is off to a slow offensive start, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is putting up points despite his 3-point shooting percentage, but Chet Holmgren is in producing his rookie season, and Lu Dort and Jalen Williams are getting the job done.

14. Milwaukee Bucks (5-4)

Not all is well for the Bucks, even with the Damian Lillard trade. They are 25th defensively and not in the top-10 offensively. It’s a tough start for new coach Adrian Griffin.

15. Sacramento Kings (4-4)

The Kings have too many talented offensive players to have the No. 24 offense, No. 29 field-goal shooting percentage (.437), No. 27 3-point shooting percentage (.319) and No. 27 free throw shooting percentage (.727).

16. Los Angeles Lakers (5-5)

Beyond a couple of big losses (120-101 to Orlando and 128-94 to Houston), most of the attention is on LeBron James’ minutes and overall team health – until the Lakers start stringing together more victories.

17. Phoenix Suns (4-6)

The Suns are still waiting for a game where Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have played together. But the losses are piling up.

18. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5)

After a 1-3 start, the Cavs won three of their next five, including two victories over Golden State as Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen returned from injuries.

19. Brooklyn Nets (5-5)

Cam Thomas, Ben Simmons and Mikal Bridges are bright spots for the Nets. However, Thomas and Simmons are out with injuries.

20. Toronto Raptors (4-5)

The Raptors are No. 4 in fastbreak points (18.6 per game) but just 29th in points off turnovers (14.3).

21. Los Angeles Clippers (3-6)

Of course an adjustment period is necessary after adding James Harden, but 0-4 with Harden is still 0-4 as part of a five-game Clippers losing streak.

22. New Orleans Pelicans (4-6)

Even with three players (Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson) averaging 20 points, the Pelicans are 28th offensively and 20th defensively.

23. Chicago Bulls (4-6)

The Bulls have the fewest turnovers per game (11.9) and are No. 5 in steals per game, but it hasn’t turned into productive offense at No. 22.

24. Portland Trail Blazers (3-6)

Coach Chauncey Billups is trying to install a defensive mentality (No. 10, allowing 105.2 points per 100 possessions), but scoring is a problem – the Blazers are last at 105.2 points per 100 possessions.

25. Charlotte Hornets (3-6)

The Hornets are No. 1 in points in the paint (64 points per game) but 30th in 3-pointers made per game (8.8) and 29th in 3-point shooting percentage (.303).

26. Detroit Pistons (2-9)

Five of the Pistons’ losses by 10 points or fewer, including one defeat by a point and another by two points. Turnovers (29th) and points allowed off turnovers (tied for 29th) have been detrimental.

27. Washington Wizards (2-7)

The Wizards have allowed at least 120 points in six of their nine games, including 143 to Indiana and 146 to Philadelphia.

28. Utah Jazz (3-7)

A poor start defensively has hurt the Jazz, who are 28th in field-goal percentage allowed (.492) and 24th in 3-point shooting percentage allowed (.381).

29. Memphis Grizzlies (2-8)

The Grizzlies weren’t supposed to be this bad without suspended Ja Morant in the lineup. This start (29th offensively) puts even more pressure on Morant when he returns. Not ideal.

30. San Antonio Spurs (3-7)

Rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama has been impressive but this Spurs rebuild isn’t happening overnight. They have the worst net rating at minus-12.7 points per 100 possessions, nearly five points worse than the 29th-ranked team.

Jim Harbaugh missed Saturday’s 24-15 win over Penn State due to the suspension levied against him on Friday for violations of the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy

In his news conference Monday, Harbaugh addressed not only the upcoming hearing that will decide whether he can be on the sidelines on Saturday against Maryland, but also his past assertions that chickens are nervous birds, his potential illness and more.

Harbaugh opened by praising the Michigan administration, alumni and fans for their support and saying he was ‘very proud of [the] players. Players played their hearts out’ in the win over Penn State.

Here’s everything else from Harbaugh’s weekly media availability:

Jim Harbaugh on his suspension, hearing

Harbaugh said he and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel learned of his suspension from social media — not from the Big Ten.

Despite the criticism around Michigan over the last several weeks, Harbaugh stood by his roster, and said he thinks America should, too.

“They’ve gotta be America’s team,’ Harbaugh said. ‘America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, overcomes what the naysayers, critics and so-called experts think. That’s my favorite kind of team.”

Harbaugh also said he’s looking for ‘due process’ at his hearing. In a civics class he took as a senior in high school, he learned ‘you’re innocent until proven guilty’ and said he would like that opportunity. He said he hasn’t decided if he will testify at Friday’s hearing, which will determine whether he can return to the sidelines.

‘That’s not my dance floor,’ Harbaugh said. ‘I’ve watched a lot of shows. I’ve watched ‘Judge Judy’ a lot.’ (Harbaugh is notoriously a big fan of Judge Judy, and even appeared at a taping of her show with his father. Jack, in 2013).

‘Trust is big to me,’ Harbaugh said in 2013 at the NFL combine. ‘I’m a big fan of the ‘Judge Judy’ show. When you lie in Judge Judy’s courtroom, it’s over. Your credibility is completely lost and you stand no chance of winning that case. I learned that from her. It’s very powerful. And true. If somebody lies to you, how can you trust anything they say after that?’

Jim Harbaugh on Sherrone Moore’s postgame interview

Interim head coach Sherrone Moore gave an emotional postgame interview after the win over Penn State, tearfully telling Harbaugh he loved him and that the win was for him.

‘I was like five inches from the TV to watch that,’ Harbaugh said. ‘It was beautiful… I’ll remember what Sherrone said, and Blake [Corum], and all the players, and I already know. I know how [Moore] feels, I know how the players feel, I already know. But it meant a lot. It means a lot. Much appreciated.’

Jim Harbaugh on chickens

According to a 2018 report from Bleacher Report, Harbaugh famously told former Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight (at the time on UCLA’s roster) not to eat chicken as part of his nutritional plan, simply on the assertion that a chicken is a ‘nervous bird.’

‘He thinks some type of sickness injected its way into the human population when people began eating white meats instead of beef and pork,’ Speight said, according to that 2018 report. ‘And he believes it, 100 percent.’

On Monday, Harbaugh recanted that statement: He himself got chicks for Easter in 2020, and now the chickens lay their own eggs.

“I’m the one who takes care of them,’ Harbaugh said. ‘The respect that I have for chickens — there was a time when I said a chicken was a nervous bird — I was dead wrong. These chickens are low maintenance and high production.’

Harbaugh on his sickness

Harbaugh sounded raspy on Monday, leading to a reporter asking him if he was sick. Harbaugh insisted he wasn’t.

‘I’m the iron wall that viruses bash against and shatter,’ Harbaugh said. ‘I’ll do some more pushups and eat an apple.’

There have already been some early surprises and significant results just a week into the men’s college basketball season. As such, there are some notable changes in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, including a new-look top five.

Kansas and Purdue retain the top two spots. The Jayhawks received 25 of 31 first-place votes, with three going to the Boilermakers. The remaining three No. 1 nods went to the week’s big mover, Arizona. The Wildcats, ranked 11th in the preseason, vault all the way to No. 3 thanks to their big road win at Duke. Defending national champion Connecticut and fellow Big East member Marquette round out the top five.

Duke slides from third to No. 9 after the loss to Arizona. The week’s other top-five upset victim was Michigan State, which tumbles from fourth to No. 19 following a home loss in its opener to James Madison. The Blue Devils and Spartans will look to get back on track as they square off against each other Tuesday night in Chicago.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll

Houston and Creighton each climb a notch to No. 6 and 7, respectively. Tennessee gains two positions to check in at No. 8 following a win at Wisconsin. Florida Atlantic rounds out the top 10.

Illinois joins the poll at No. 23, and Virginia moves into a tie for 25th with UCLA.

San Diego State is the week’s lone dropout.

Haley Cavinder is headed back onto the court.

One half of the social media stars and the ‘queens of the NIL’ Cavinder twins, former Miami Hurricanes and Fresno State guard Haley Cavinder announced on Monday she is officially ending her retirement from basketball and has committed to play for TCU.

‘The last rodeo,’ Cavinder posted on social media of her donning a Horned Frogs uniform.

‘mom just bought purple cowboy boots after seeing this,’ sister Hanna Cavinder responded on Instagram.

Cavinder, who spent the first three years of her college career with Fresno State, will return to basketball after a stellar season with the Hurricanes, as she was instrumental in the team’s first-ever Elite Eight run in the NCAA tournament. A starter, she led Miami with 12.2 points per game, was second in rebounds at 4.9 per game while shooting 40.9% from the 3-point line. She was All-ACC second team last season.

Haley Cavinder returns to basketball

Cavinder’s announcement comes seven months after her and her sister announced they wouldn’t be returning to Miami and would ‘start a new chapter in our lives.’ Even with their basketball careers, the twins have become NIL pioneers, as the sisters were on track to earn $1 million in NIL money and transferred to Miami for a bigger platform. The two have millions of followers on Tik Tok and Instagram.

Since deciding to leave basketball in April, the Cavinders have been busy partnering with several companies while pursuing other endeavors. The two signed a contract with WWE and had been at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, training for a possible in-ring career.

However, on Oct. 13 Cavinder announced she would be returning to basketball and considered a return to Miami before ultimately joining the Horned Frogs. Hanna Cavinder has not announced any intentions to return to basketball.

Will Haley Cavinder play for TCU this season?

Despite Cavinder’s announcement, the 2021 Mountain West Player of the Year will not be playing for TCU this season. She said on her Instagram story, ‘see ya next season Fort Worth.’

It’d be unlikely Cavinder would be cleared to play this season if she wished, as she’d have to get a waiver from the NCAA to do so as the season has already started.

The addition to Cavinder for 2024 could give TCU a big boost to what is already a program on the rise. Led by Oregon-transfer Sedona Prince, the Horned Frogs are 3-0 to start the season under first-year head coach Mark Campbell. TCU hasn’t been to the women’s NCAA tournament since 2010, and has never advanced past the second round.

Prince and her teammates already seem ecstatic about Cavinder joining the team next season.

The Milwaukee Bucks will be without a key rotation player for several months as Jae Crowder will undergo surgery to repair “a left adductor and abdominal tear,” according to the team.

Crowder exited the Bucks’ loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday with what was initially called a left groin strain. The 33-year-old Marquette University alumnus flew to Philadelphia to be examined Monday by Dr. Bill Meyers, who specializes in core muscle injuries.

Crowder will undergo surgery Tuesday and the team said he will be out for about eight weeks.

‘Tough news for Jae but unfortunately it’s kind of part of sports,’ Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin said. ‘We’ll miss his veteran presence in the locker room and on the court. His leadership, voice. I think he’ll still be able to lead us out there through his rehab. We have the best medical staff and we’ll know Jae will come back stronger and this is an opportunity for all our other guys, and particularly our young guys, to maybe some minutes and get in that rotation.’

Crowder has appeared in all nine games (two starts) and is averaging 8.1 points on 51.6% shooting from behind the three-point line in 26.7 minutes per game. He has been a key defender for the Bucks also in Griffin’s new ball pressure schemes.

‘He’s a tremendous piece of what we’re trying to do moving forward, but from what I’m told it’s approximately eight weeks and he’ll be back,’ Griffin said. ‘He’ll be back way before the playoffs to get the rhythm back. This happens in sports, so we just gotta stay positive and look at the bright side and that’s other guys going to be able to get some minutes and help this team win.’

Should Deion Sanders jump the Colorado ship and take Prime Time to the Lone Star State?

Stephen A. Smith thinks Sanders, in just his first season with the Buffaloes, should take the head coaching job at Texas A&M. The Aggies athletic department fired Jimbo Fisher on Sunday, giving him an historic buyout of $77 million after going 5-7 last year and 6-4 so far this season.

‘Deion Sanders in the SEC with that vault that they have available to them, with them hogs that he could recruit, ’cause he doesn’t have them at Colorado and he ain’t gonna get ’em,’ Smith said Monday on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ morning show. ‘… I don’t think they’ll do it, but Texas A&M, Prime Time Deion Sanders in the SEC, that needs to happen.’

Sanders is 4-6 with two more games left in his first season at the helm of the Buffaloes. The team would need to win both to become bowl eligible.

Colorado was ranked as high as No. 19 in the US LBM Coaches Poll after winning their first three games, including the season opener on the road against College Football Playoff runner-up TCU. Sanders joined the program in December after spending three seasons at Jackson State where he led the Tigers to back-to-back conference championships.

On Saturday, Sanders apologized to the Colorado fan base after losing 34-31 to Arizona in their home finale. The defeat extended their losing streak to four games.

A day after the loss, five-star Class of 2025 recruit Winston Watkins Jr. rescinded his verbal commitment from the Buffaloes, saying, ‘I have a lot of schools I want to make sure I’m still good with them because I don’t know if Prime will still be there when I get there.’

USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg suggested Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Florida State’s Mike Norvell as possible candidates for the Texas A&M head coaching position.

During Week 10, the Chicago Bears’ win over the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals prevailing in Kyler Murray’s return had a profound impact on the top of the first-round order for the 2024 NFL draft.

The Bears own the Panthers’ first-round pick as a result of a 2023 pre-draft trade that gave Carolina the No. 1 pick, which it used to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. That trade now has the Bears — by way of the Panthers’ league-worst 1-8 record — at the top of the 2024 NFL draft after the results of ‘Thursday Night Football.’

The draft order is determined by record, and uses strength of schedule as a tiebreaker (record and strength of schedule are official tiebreakers to determine the draft order). 

The final 14 first-round spots will be determined by playoff results. For now, those teams will be ordered based on playoff seed, if the season ended today.

The 2024 NFL draft is scheduled to be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE: Which teams are looking good after Week 10?

NFL draft order

(as of Nov. 13; * denotes wild-card team and # denotes division leader)

Chicago Bears (from Panthers) — Carolina Panthers’ record: 1-8 (strength of schedule: .547)Arizona Cardinals — Record: 2-8 (.521)New York Giants — Record: 2-8 (.532)New England Patriots — Record: 2-8 (.568)Chicago Bears — Record: 3-7 (.457)Green Bay Packers — Record: 3-6 (.500)Tennessee Titans — Record: 3-6 (.541)Los Angeles Rams — Record: 3-6 (.566)Atlanta Falcons — Record: 4-6 (.441)Washington Commanders — Record: 4-6 (.458)Denver Broncos — Record: 4-5 (.518)New York Jets — Record: 4-5 (.506)Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Record: 4-5 (.535)Los Angeles Chargers — Record: 4-5 (.560)Las Vegas Raiders — Record: 5-5 (.426)Buffalo Bills — Record: 5-5 (.447)Indianapolis Colts — Record: 5-5 (.473)Cincinnati Bengals — Record: 5-4 (.512)*Arizona Cardinals (from Texans) — Houston Texans’ record: 5-4 (.506)*Minnesota Vikings — Record: 6-4 (.484)*Dallas Cowboys — Record: 6-3 (.388)*Seattle Seahawks — Record: 6-3 (.435)*Pittsburgh Steelers — Record: 6-3 (.530)*Houston Texans (from Browns) — Cleveland Browns’ record: 6-3 (.553)#New Orleans Saints — Record: 5-5 (.404)#Miami Dolphins — Record: 6-3 (.412)#San Francisco 49ers — Record: 6-3 (.500)#Jacksonville Jaguars — Record: 6-3 (.558)#Baltimore Ravens — Record: 7-3 (.554)#Detroit Lions — Record: 7-2 (.488)#Kansas City Chiefs — Record: 7-2 (.530)#Philadelphia Eagles — Record: 8-1 (.459)

Teams without a first-round pick: Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns