The Houston Rockets are competing in a crowded Western Conference, but have exceeded expectations with a firm playoff spot to start the season.
The Houston Rockets have gotten off to a hot start this season, led by an aggressive defense. Holding teams to, the Rockets currently hold the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference but are tied in record with the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies at 15-8.
The West is noticeably stronger than the East, as 10 teams currently have a winning record. Just five teams in the East are above .500, with the conference being more top-heavy than anything. The West has more of a balance in strong teams, as the tenth seed would be the sixth seed in the East if they made a hypothetical swap.
That doesn't make things easier for Houston, which speaks even further to the steps the organization has taken in the last two years. The Rockets are just two games ahead of the Phoenix Suns, who hold the first Play-In Tournament spot. The Rockets showed that they could be a contender in the conference, defeating the No. 1 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 1, 119-116. Houston is 7-4 against teams above .500 and 8-4 against teams below. The team doesn't play down to competition, and more often than not rises to the occasion against the established elites of the NBA.
As the season continues, the gap between the top of the conference and the fringe playoff spots will separate, but even as the Rockets have dropped their last two games, the team is still in a great position as 2024 comes to an end. The hope is that they keep it up and prove they're a legitimate playoff team.Jed is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism.
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