The Houston Rockets’ reward for a breakout season is a first-round date with the resurgent Golden State Warriors within the NBA Playoffs.
Houston, they’ve a first-round drawback—however they might be geared up to deal with it.
Thirty years after incomes the latter of consecutive championships, the Houston Rockets are again within the NBA Playoffs after a four-year absence. Their reward for securing the second seed is a date with the established champion Golden State Warriors, who’re well-equipped for an additional title run regardless of falling to the Western Convention Play-In spherical.
Houston (52-30) is in its finest playoff posting since 2018, ending within the West’s runner-up spot after a breakout marketing campaign. Whereas third total choose Reed Sheppard made no fast affect, the Rockets’ homegrown core flourished, as Tari Eason, Jalen Inexperienced, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson all formally launched themselves to the nationwide NBA scene. Houston additional flourished with the help of priceless veteran additions like Dillon Brooks and Fred VanFleet, paving their strategy to prime playoff positioning.
The primary roadblock is Golden State (48-34), whose continued championship goals really feel sensible once more due to the in-season arrival of recurring postseason hero Jimmy Butler from Miami. Although it wasn’t sufficient to keep away from Play-In purgatory, the Warriors posted a 23-9 document after including Butler to the Finals-seeking fold subsequent to Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced. With leftovers like Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, and Brandon Podziemski filling in vacated roles (i.e. that of Dallas-bound Klay Thompson), the Warriors proceed to be a harmful Western menace. Golden State disposed of any Play-In drama by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 within the opening recreation of the four-team set.
Solely including to Houston’s plight is the truth that the trendy Warriors have had their quantity within the playoffs: Golden State has gained all 4 spring get-togethers since 2015—and every prior victory led to a go to to the NBA Finals.
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Who: (2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State WarriorsWhat: NBA Playoffs, Western Convention, First RoundWhere: Toyota Middle, Houston, TX/Chase Middle, San Francisco, CAWinners: GSW gained season collection 3-2
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Rocket to Watch: Alperen Sengun
SENGUN POSTER ON DRAYMOND.
pic.twitter.com/Wbuw9FqDuh
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 21, 2025
Elevate-off has, satirically sufficient, been the Rockets’ key to victory: Houston leads the league in rebounding and, extra importantly, paces the affiliation on the offensive glass. That has allowed them to safe one other very important statistical lead, that of most discipline targets tried this 12 months. On the forefront of the push for second possibilities is Sengun, who’s pulling in 3.4 per recreation.
Whereas Sengun maybe does not carry the name-brand recognition of some fellow paint dwellers, the document ebook has hardly cared. Sengun has set a number of private milestones en path to his first All-Star Recreation invite this season. The rebounds and blocks communicate for themselves however Sengun additionally grew to become the youngest heart to achieve 1,000 assists for his profession again in January.
Warrior to Watch: Draymond Inexperienced
Defensive mastermind.
Draymond Inexperienced has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 @Kia NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months award 💪 pic.twitter.com/QTFdGD64uA
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 20, 2025
Stories of Inexperienced’s demise have, for higher and worse, been drastically exaggerated. His opponents have discovered that the arduous approach and Inexperienced is as soon as once more on the forefront of the Defensive Participant of the 12 months dialogue. Rockets have been Inexperienced’s specialty in his most memorable postseason showings and now a possible timebomb awaits within the type of the gifted by unstable Brooks, who may be explosive for all of the incorrect causes. Houston won’t solely should discover a strategy to get by way of Inexperienced’s cutthroat protection but additionally work towards his harmful psychological workouts as nicely.
What They’re Saying
“It’s sort of like the usual, nearly just like the blueprint, truthfully. The Warriors have gained so many video games and carried out a lot previously 10 years or no matter. It’s sort of such as you check your self towards them. With guys like Draymond and Steph over there, who’ve carried out successful and carried out it on the highest degree, you sort of check your self towards them to see how arduous they play, and see how a lot you put together and it’s sort of like an eye-opener when you’ll be able to go beat these groups, you’ll be able to go compete towards these groups. It’s additionally an eye-opener when you’ll be able to find yourself down lots to these groups so fast. So it simply exhibits how a lot of an entire recreation you bought to play towards good groups like that, with good veterans and well-coached groups.”-Jabari Smith Jr. (h/t Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle)
“I really like having a goal on my again … [Golden State] goes to be the squad to beat. All people at all times fears them. All people at all times is aware of that they’re not out of any recreation, out of any collection, and I like to be part of it. I ain’t fearful of no one. me. I’m not fearful of no one. I do know what I’m able to. Like I at all times say, now’s the time to point out it, however I do know what they’re able to greater than something. While you’ve bought some hellified ballers in there which might be assured, that settle for their position, they usually do no matter we ask them to do to win, man, that’s arduous to beat. That’s very arduous to beat.”-Jimmy Butler (h/t Sam Amick, The Athletic)
Prediction
If any collection on this debut spherical options an unstoppable power assembly an immovable object, it is this Western conflict between the breakout skills of the Rockets and a Bay Space group that is aware of find out how to win higher than anybody among the many 16. What the Rockets have carried out this season cannot be denied and it seems like they will be an issue for years to come back. However betting towards a revived Curry and Inexperienced within the opening spherical is foolish as is—and turns into downright foolhardy with the postseason antics of Butler now on their aspect.
The long run feels prefer it belongs to Houston. The current, nonetheless, remains to be Golden.
Warriors in 7
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
