One Opponent Rockets Should Hope to Avoid in Playoffs

The Houston Rockets are a little less than a month away from the NBA Playoffs, where they are expected to appear for the first time since 2020.

Houston is in the thick of things in the tight Western Conference, but there is one team that could give it trouble.

Bleacher Report writer Greg Swartz emphasizes that the Sacramento Kings could give the Rockets some trouble if they met in the postseason.

"Even though the Houston Rockets have taken down the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers (twice) and Memphis Grizzlies (three times), this franchise has yet to secure a victory this season against…the Kings?," Swartz writes.

"Sacramento has continued to roll Houston whether it's had De'Aaron Fox or Zach LaVine in the backcourt, including withstanding an early injury to Domantas Sabonis in a March 1st win in Houston.

"With the Rockets just a game out of the No. 2 seed in the West and the Kings almost certainly destined to finish in the play-in tournament, a first-round meeting is entirely possible."

If the Rockets met the Kings in the playoffs, they would get an opportunity to put those demons behind them, but Houston is much more likely to face teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, who have used midseason trades to transform their teams.

At the end of the day, the Rockets should feel capable of challenging any team, but for an inexperienced roster, no series will be an easy one.