Of all the things that have been missing on the Houston sports landscape the last few years, I think I've missed playoff basketball the most. Say what you will about James Harden, his lazy vibe, and ultimate insistence on getting traded out of here, but at least the Rockets were consistent participants into mid to late May while he was here. I've missed that.
Ultimately, it's about winning a championship, which Harden did not do, so I understand the frustrations, but these last four years of complete destitution basketball-wise has been awful. However, it ends this spring! The new look Rockets, built around many of the young assets acquired in the post-Harden tank job, are going to the playoffs.
If the standings hold up, the Rockets will be the 2-seed in the Western Conference, and will open at home against the winner of the 7-seed versus 8-seed play-in game in a best of seven, first round series. As of this morning, that would be a game between the Clippers and Timberwolves. There are four other teams the Rockets could see in the first round, depending on where the Rockets end up in the seeding.
Here are the six teams that the Rockets could see in the first round of the playoffs, ranked by the entertainment and fun level that a series against them would bring:
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves will likely be playing in a play-in game to get into the playoffs. If you play them, you're going up against Anthony Edwards, who, at various times, gets mentioned as a possible torch bearer and face of the league post-LeBron.
5. Memphis GrizzliesThe Rockets have had some entertaining games with the Grizzlies this season, who boast another young player that is mentioned as a top 10 talent in Ja Morant. The Grizzlies are in the odd spot of playing with an interim head coach, having fired Taylor Jenkins last week.
4. Denver NuggetsThe champs from two seasons ago are going to be a tough out for any number of Western Conference teams. The Rockets just lost a stinker to the Nuggets a little over a week ago, with the Nuggets playing without reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic.
3. Los Angeles LakersA seven game series with the Rockets' young core going against the greatest player this century, LeBron James, and the guy who took Dallas to the finals last season, Luka Doncic, would be epic. Of course, one thing I am NOT ready for — Rockets fans claiming that the national announcers are biased for the Lakers, the same way Astro fans thought that Joe Buck loved the Yankees and Dodgers all those years ago.
2. Golden State Warriors
During the Warriors' hey day, when they won their first three titles, and made the NBA Finals five straight seasons (2015 through 2019), the Rockets were eliminated by the Warriors on three different occasions. Those teams included James Harden, and at various times, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, and Eric Gordon. I suppose revenge getting dished out by Jalen Gree and Alperen Sengun would be better late than never.
1. Los Angeles ClippersI need this series to happen, and I need James Harden to crank out an all time stinker of an elimination game, so that I know what it feels like to be on the good end of that scenario. Please, basketball gods, make it happen!
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