May 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) shoots the ball around the reach of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter of game six of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets have officially completed a total rebuild with this year’s postseason appearance. Houston developed this team with high draft picks and smart veterans that complement the team’s new identity. It’s only fitting that Houston’s first playoff appearance since its last competitive era is against the team that constantly interrupted that era’s path to contention: the Golden State Warriors.
Houston was one of the top teams of the 2010s, making the Western Conference Finals twice, and not missing the playoffs once since James Harden’s arrival in 2013.
The Rockets spent the late 2010s as a bona fide contender, a true factor among other elite teams in the NBA. Their peak came in 2018, as Houston marched into the postseason and the Western Conference Finals as the No. 1 seed. But waiting for them in the battle for the Western Conference was the same familiar Warriors that sent Houston home twice before. Once in the first round, and another in the conference finals. The Rockets eventually lost four playoff series to Golden State in five seasons.
Even after Harden’s departure, the Warriors have stayed elite with the efforts of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Golden State won another title in 2022, confirming the elite level of the Warriors’ dynasty.
That same period has been some of the darkest days for the Houston Rockets.
They spent three seasons at the bottom of the Western Conference, acquiring high draft picks and suffering through undisciplined play. First, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun entered the fold as lottery picks in 2021, followed by Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason in ’22. Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore joined in 2023, and the Rockets collected their final high draft pick in 2024 with the selection of Reed Sheppard.
Before selecting Sheppard, the Rockets were just a few games away from playing in postseason play after the additions of veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. The hire of Head Coach Ime Udoka brought discipline to the young players, and order to a team with a combination of experience and youth.
More than anything, Udoka taught the team elite defense, which remains as Houston’s calling card.
The Rockets have overwhelmed teams defensively this season, leading to the team’s first 50-win season since 2018. It’s clear why the defense has been such a topic of discussion in Houston’s current series against the Warriors.
The Rockets have relied on their defense to win, and the Warriors have a few players who can create offense despite excellent defense, like Curry and Jimmy Butler. However, the Rockets have stood up to the star power of Golden State to create a compelling situation as the teams enter Game 7.
A win could be a resounding end to a chapter for the Rockets. They can close the book on years of bad play, as well as historical domination by the Warriors. It’s by far the most important game of Houston’s new era, and it’s one of the most important playoff games the Rockets have been a part of in franchise history.