The Houston Rockets are heading into this season with a lot less room for excuses and a lot more on the line.
Last spring’s first-round playoff exit against the Lakers still hangs over them, especially because Kevin Durant was out and the result still came with little to explain away. That loss set the tone for a team now clearly operating in “win now” mode, with the pressure ramping up around a roster that looks far more complete than it did a year ago.
Durant’s situation only adds to the urgency. He is in the final year of his contract, and while he has said he wants to stay beyond this season, nothing about his track record suggests certainty. After all, he has already moved on from the Sonics/Thunder organization to the Warriors, Nets and Suns.
The Rockets also come into the year healthier and deeper. Durant, Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet are back from injury, and Marcus Smart has been added to the mix.
Bogdan Bogdanović is in the fold too, giving Houston another reliable perimeter shooter and some relief when Durant, VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. are going through “off shooting nights”. That showed up in a 27-point preseason win over OKC, when Bogdanović went 5-of-8 from three.
The West also looks different enough to give Houston a real opening. Outside of San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Denver, it’s a much less settled landscape. LeBron James is now with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota is trying to settle in with LaMelo Ball, Golden State is dealing with the usual Father Time question, Jimmy Butler remains out, Stephen Curry already had a preseason scare, and everyone else is left to fight for position.
For Houston, the biggest question is how high the ceiling can go. A jump into the top three is very much on the table if Durant and Alperen Sengun keep building on their chemistry. The two All-Stars shared the floor in 69 games last season and combined for more than 46 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists per game in those outings.
That tandem is backed by a rising supporting cast. Amen Thompson, who was voted top perimeter defender and most athletic player by GM's across the league, has already received his contract extension.
Tari Eason has been extended as well. The core, at least for now, is in place.
And that’s where the expectations sharpen. If this group stays together beyond this season, it would seem the baseline is at least another 52-30 regular season and a trip to the second round.
The talent is there. Injuries could still tilt the board elsewhere, as they did when Jalen Williams went out during the Thunder’s postseason run.
That kind of opening is exactly why Houston can look at this season and see a real championship path. If the Rockets stay healthy and hold their ground in the regular season, last year’s fifth seed has every reason to believe it belongs in the thick of the race.
In Other News...
Marcus Smart Is Giving The Rockets A Reason To Believe
Marcus Smart didnt need long to make his case in Houstons second preseason game, turning in a lively all-around effort that fit neatly with what the Rockets want from him. In 24 minutes, he brought scoring, rebounding and playmaking to the table, the kind of veteran presence that can stabilize a young roster and give Fred VanVleet another backcourt partner who can handle the ball or function away from it.
The bigger takeaway for the Rockets is how naturally Smarts versatility can slide into multiple lineup looks if the shot keeps following him. His three-point work was encouraging, and Houston will be watching to see whether cleaner shot selection can make that part of his game even more efficient as the season approaches. If it does, the Rockets may have more than just an experienced defender on their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Opening Week Plan Sends An Early Message About Two Veterans
The Rockets are wasting little time making their rotation intentions clear in opening week. Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams will both sit the first back-to-backs to start the season, a move that says plenty about how Houston wants to handle two veterans it expects to lean on over the long haul. In Adams case, the approach fits a familiar pattern, with the team planning to manage his minutes and availability carefully after a lengthy injury history.
There is also an immediate ripple effect in the backcourt when VanVleet is unavailable. Instead of turning to Reed Sheppard, Houston plans to start Marcus Smart at point guard, giving the Rockets a more experienced hand to organize the offense while VanVleet rests. It is an early-season lineup wrinkle, but one that offers a useful glimpse at how the coaching staff sees the guard rotation unfolding when the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Open Against A Mavericks Frontcourt Problem That Could Matter Fast
Opening night brings the Houston Rockets a Dallas frontcourt that is already short-handed, and the matchup is shaped as much by availability as by star power. Kyrie Irving is set to make his return to NBA action for the Mavericks, but Dallas is dealing with several injured players and the big-man rotation is especially thin heading into the game.
Dereck Lively II is out because of right foot surgery, leaving an immediate hole in the middle for a team that could use every body it can get. Houston has its own injury watch to track as well, with Steven Adams and Julian Phillips listed as questionable, so the opening-week frontcourt picture is still fluid on both sides. [Read more 🡒]