What the Rockets Learned From Day 1 of the Postseason

Day one of the NBA Playoffs showed some of the league's best teams competing. The Rockets are learning what they can from the rest of the playoff field.

Apr 13, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) shoots against Houston Rockets center Jock Landale (2) in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets stayed home to watch the first day of the 2025 NBA Playoffs before beginning their series on Sunday. There were a few lessons Houston gathered from a highly competitive first day as the league's top teams displayed quality play and victories through adversity.

The game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets showed the Rockets that fighting through early deficits is a mark of a great team. Teams capable of winning the championship are expected to be able to climb back in games after falling behind early. Denver battled back after coming out with less energy than the Clippers. The Nuggets kept grinding on both ends of the court until they brought the score close enough to allow their historic players a chance to close the game.

Houston learned a secondary lesson in that game as well. Scoring in the clutch is still necessary, and it's easier with an elite offensive player who can take over.

The Rockets are still trying to determine whether they have a player on the roster who can play that role. Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green are the closest Houston has to closers at the end of the game. The team mostly finishes games with whoever was hottest throughout. While the Rockets don't have a player the caliber of Kawhi Leonard or Nikola Jokic, they may be able to find some necessary clutch shooting throughout the roster.

The Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks had one of the tightest contests of the day despite the double-digit margin of victory. The lesson the Rockets can take from this game is that winning teams have to be able to withstand the opposing team's best punch.

The Knicks were down throughout most of the third quarter and into the start of the fourth. The Pistons displayed impressive shot-making and held a lead, even with Cade Cunningham not playing to his usual standard. Tim Hardaway Jr. made several shots in the third to help Detroit build a lead.

The Knicks never stopped giving effort on defense, and got enough scoring on offense to take the lead back and withstand a strong effort by Detroit to steal a victory on the road.

The Rockets hope to use the early lessons from the playoffs during their own postseason run as they prepare to face the Golden State Warriors.