After some rough seasons, the Houston Rockets returned to contender status after winning the Southwest Division title under coach Ime Udoka. However, their postseason inexperience showed when they lost in the first round to the Golden State Warriors in seven games.
Sensing an opportunity to gain an edge in the highly competitive Western Conference, the Rockets acquired Kevin Durant in a seven-team trade, the largest in National Basketball Association history. Conversely, welcoming the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player meant bidding farewell to Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.
Will these changes be enough to erase the Rockets’ playoff struggles and position them for a deeper run? For Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey, there won’t be significant changes for Houston, at least during the regular season.
Rockets Failing to Launch?
Bailey predicts the Rockets will finish with a 52-30 regular-season record. While Durant can still provide the steady offensive production that evaded Houston at times during their series against the Warriors, his availability could be an issue.
“In this Western Conference, though, getting any number of wins over 50 is going to be tough. And the Rockets' presumed leading scorer, Durant, turns 37 in September. He played 75 games in 2023-24, but he's averaged just under 55 over the half-decade since returning from his ruptured Achilles,” Bailey wrote.
Beyond Durant, the Rockets’ roster remains formidable without Green and Brooks. Alperen Sengun will remain a disruptive force in the paint, while Amen Thompson is becoming a reliable two-way player. Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard provide matchup problems for Houston’s opponents.
Meanwhile, FanDuel Sportsbook has the Rockets’ over/under at 55.5 wins. Bookies.com’s Bill Speros also wrote that the Rockets will travel the ninth-most miles (46,408.20) across 34 time zones and 19 road trips.