What happened?
The Houston Rockets enter the 2026-27 NBA season with championship aspirations after ESPN’s summer prediction series tabbed them to tie for third place in the Western Conference standings. According to a survey of NBA insiders, only the Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22) and San Antonio Spurs (62-20) are projected to finish ahead of Houston, while the Denver Nuggets sit at 51-31. The prediction comes despite the Rockets enduring major long-term injury losses to Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet last campaign, a season in which they still managed a 52-30 record fueled by the All-Star tandem of Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. With VanVleet and Adams anticipated healthy from the start of training camp, and the addition of experienced guards Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic bolstering depth, the Rockets are viewed as a dangerous sleeper in a conference reshaped by recent draft lottery reform aimed at increasing parity.
Why it matters for Houston Rockets
ESPN’s Michael C wrote that the West goes through either Oklahoma City or San Antonio, but don’t count out Houston, as the Rockets expect to take another step in Year 2 with Kevin Durant. The insider noted the continued improvements from young stars Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard as key factors in the team’s projected rise. In the previous two regular seasons, Houston posted a 52-30 record, and despite the injury toll, the expectation is that the win total will improve rather than regress this year. The league’s recent draft lottery reform may result in much greater parity in 2026-2027, which should lessen the incentives for non-playoff teams to tank, making the Rockets’ climb up the standings even more competitive. With that being said, the question remains: are the Rockets too high, too low, or just right in these power rankings?
What comes next?
As training camp approaches, all eyes will be on how quickly Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams can return to form, and whether the new backcourt of Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic can mesh instantly with the Durant-Sengun core. The Rockets’ personal standings slated them for 55 wins, a projection that would represent an improvement over last season’s 52-30 mark. However, the bloodbath the Western Conference is expected to become means every game will be a grind, and the Rockets will need to stay healthy to capitalize on their predicted third-place finish. Fans will be watching closely to see if the Rockets can defy the parity-driven narrative and secure a top-three seed, or if the deep West will once again leave them fighting for play-in positioning.
Last result: Houston Rockets 78-98 Los Angeles Lakers (2026-05-02). Recent form (last 5): 3W-0D-2L (LLWWW, most recent first); lost the last 2.
