Houston Rockets Crack Top 10 in Latest NBA Power Rankings

The Houston Rockets are entering the season with lofty expectations. The Athletic's latest NBA power rankings has them in an interesting spot ahead of opening night.

Sep 29, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) and forward Amen Thompson (1) and center Alperen Sengun (28) during Houston Rockets media day at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The 2025-26 NBA season is nearly here, with opening night right around the corner. This season could be the most exciting we've seen in years with the amount parity and skill that highlights the league.

So many teams got better this offseason, especially in a Western Conference that is already immensely crowded. The Houston Rockets, in particular, may have had the best offseason of those 15 teams. They reloaded their roster, with Kevin Durant being their big splash, along with a few other veterans.

Houston fixed a lot of its offensive issues over the summer, and the all-time scorer joins a young core that went 52-30 last season. However, there are still doubts, whether it be Fred VanVleet suffering a torn ACL or Durant's age.

These doubts were reflected in The Athletic's most recent NBA power rankings from Law Murray. The Rockets placed No. 10 in the rankings, falling in "Tier 2: In a Good Place." They sit one spot in front of the Indiana Pacers and one behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"The Rockets are a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty team," Murray wrote. "Half full: They were the No. 2 seed in the West! Half empty: They won 52 games, 16 fewer than the No. 1 seed and four more than the No. 8 seed. Half full: they pushed the Warriors to a Game 7! Half empty: They went out sad on their home floor and were down 3-1...

"This is a really good team, but don’t be surprised if it plateaus rather than ascends this season."

Murray also predicted that Houston will finish as the sixth seed in the West, losing to the LA Clippers in the second round of the playoffs. It would be a step up from last season, as the Rockets lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

However, this team has the potential to get to the Western Conference Finals and contend with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant is surrounded by an All-Star in Alperen Sengun, a potential star in Amen Thompson, as well a great defense and young core developing into something special.

The five West teams above Houston were the Thunder, LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. Even if the Rockets finish lower in the conference standings, the group is so crowded that they could still make a run despite their seed. They know that from being on the wrong end of it last season.