As the Houston Rockets have gotten off to a relatively strong start to the regular season, their 6-3 record is a pretty solid indicator of the highs and lows they have experienced to this point.
Yet, their brutal 121-110 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in their first matchup of NBA Cup group play may have taken on outsized importance. It could kill the Rockets' chances at making a run in the in-season tournament.
While, ultimately, the NBA Cup is not a measure of the success of the season, it could represent an important opportunity for this new iteration of Houston to find some more cohesion as the season wears on. Yet, their loss to the Spurs makes an already uphill battle even steeper.
The Rockets have a tough road ahead for NBA Cup contention
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Undoubtedly, Houston's loss to San Antonio was [their most brutal one](https://spacecityscoop.com/rockets-flaw-proves-fatal-heartbreaking-loss-spurs) so far this season. While the team played relatively well offensively, they amassed 23 turnovers on the night, getting burnt in transition and at the perimeter throughout the course of the entire game.
Although they did a good job harassing Victor Wembanyama and limiting his effectiveness offensively, it ultimately did not matter, as the rest of the Spurs stepped up in his place.
Therefore, while that game only represented the Rockets' third loss on the season, it signified [a much more worrying trend](https://spacecityscoop.com/devastating-kevin-durant-weakness-could-be-the-beginning-of-the-rockets-downfall): their offensive shakiness against some of the best teams in the NBA.
Through the rest of group play, Houston is slated to face the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors.
While Portland is not necessarily even a playoff contender this season, they are certainly scrappy, and their recent wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver served as a stark reminder of that fact.
The Nuggets, undoubtedly, are one of the best teams in the NBA, and, although they lost their first NBA Cup matchup to the Trail Blazers, their dominant win over the Warriors on Friday showed that they have returned to form in formidable fashion.
Golden State, despite the rest that their veteran stars have needed as of late, are still a nightmare matchup for the Rockets if Stephen Curry is active, and this being the final matchup on their NBA Cup slate is unfortunate to say the least.
Therefore, while it is not impossible for Houston to still pull it together over their next three games, they have a tall task ahead of them to even qualify for the elimination stage of the tournament.
Thankfully, the NBA Cup has no bearing on a team's eligibility for championship contention.