The Houston Rockets soared last season, but can they repeat the same success?
HOUSTON – Last season the Houston Rockets went 52-30 and finished 2nd in the NBA Western Conference. However, they were eliminated in the first round of playoffs against the Golden State Warriors.
This season, the Rockets are expected to have a few more challenges, as other teams are looking good–such as the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunders, and the Denver Nuggets. There’s not much doubt that the team will be a top 5 team in the west, but it’s still unclear where they’ll go from there, as other teams have definitely improved since last season.
There’s some renewed sense of hope, though. During the offseason, the Rockets landed big when they got superstar Kevin Durant in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. The Rockets in return gave the Suns Jalen Green, Dillion Brooks and the #10 overall pick for the 2025 NBA draft. The Rockets also signed on experienced players Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela.
Last season’s team was filled with young talents such as Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, and Amen Thompson, along with older veteran players, like Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams.
Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are expected to break out and perform well this season, thanks to head coach Ime Udoka, who is known for being defensive-minded.
Expectations will be high for Kevin Durant, since he’s already being viewed as vital for the team’s offense and as a source of guidance for the young players. Even with the addition of Durant, the pressure is generally high for most of the team, especially considering that Fred VanVleet is expected to miss a good chunk of the season due to a torn ACL.
The team is looking good overall, and will most likely make the playoffs again, potentially ending at the 2nd or 3rd round of playoffs. But anything beyond that is still too early to predict.
