Houston Rockets Land in Top 5 of Western Conference Power Rankings

Last season's Western Conference was a bloodbath, as the top eight seeds all finished with at least 48 wins, and none of them are indicating regression over the offseason. A young and hungry Rockets squad was able to finish as the No. 2 seed, separating itself from a three-way tiebreaker by two games.

With how competitive the Western Conference has been in recent years, it's not easy to stay atop of the game. In just two seasons, teams sitting high and mighty can fall from grace, and lose their spot in the pack.

Team	2022-2023 Seed and Record	2024-2025 Seed and Record
Memphis Grizzlies	No. 2 seed, 51-31	No. 8 seed, 48-34
Sacramento Kings	No. 3 seed, 48-34	No. 9 seed, 40-42
Phoenix Suns	No 4. seed, 45-37	No. 11 seed, 36-46

Perhaps the most surprising part of the list, however, is that each of these teams retained their stars despite the drastic change in record. The Grizzlies kept Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Kings kept De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis –– until the last two months of 2025 –– and the Suns stuck with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

If there's anything to take away from competing in the Western Conference, it's that no team is safe from a potential breakdown –– and windows are short.

In the case of the Rockets, however, NBA.com writer John Schuhmann has Houston staying in the top tier of teams out West– landing in the top five in his latest .

Above the Rockets

Oklahoma City Thunder - No. 1

Schuhman ranked the Thunder as the first seed, and it checks out. The reigning champions didn't lose a rotational piece and should only improve over time, given their youth. Oklahoma City's historical defense is the team's identity, but their offense is nearly equally as impressive, headlined by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star Jalen Williams.

The Rockets have formed a bit of a rivalry with the Thunder over the last five seasons, and it'll surely continue going forward.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Julian Strawther — May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) moves the ball down the court beside Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther (3) in the second half of game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Denver Nuggets - No. 2

The Nuggets finished last season as the No. 4 seed, splitting a three-way tie with both Los Angeles squads at 50 wins –– two below the Rockets. However, they also pushed the Thunder to seven games in the playoffs, and undeniable improved their roster this offseason.

Shipping out Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson, along with signing Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. makes the Nuggets all the more dangerous, and a true competitor against Houston.

The Rockets' Ranking

Schuhmann has the Rockets as his No. 3 squad out West, shooting up two spots from his previous ranking. He cites the addition of Kevin Durant as a primary reason for the Rockets boost in ranking, as the 15-time All-Star is exactly what the young team needed in clutch situations.

"The Rockets certainly needed a bucket-getter like Durant. They ranked 10th offensively (115.2 points scored per 100 possessions) in non-clutch situations, but scored 8.6 fewer per 100 ( only four teams saw a bigger drop-off) when the score was within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime. If the defense could contain the Fred VanVleet-Alperen Sengun pick-and-roll, the Rockets struggled to get good (initial) shots down the stretch."

Kevin Durant Alperen Sengun — Mar 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

As for what else gives him hope for the Rockets remaining competitive, it's a department that Houston proved dominant in last season, and have shown no signs of falling off.

"The Rockets averaged 5.5 more shooting opportunities (field foal attempts or trips to the line) than their opponents, the league’s biggest differential by a healthy margin. They led the league in offensive rebounding percentage by a huge margin and averaged 18.1 second-chance points per game, second most for any team in the 29 seasons that second-chance points have been tracked."

Given that Ime Udoka's Rockets haven't made it out of the first round yet, it puts a plenty of pressure on Kevin Durant and internal growth to take the team to top-tier contender status, but Schuhman seems to believe it's possible.

Below the Rockets

Immediately following the Rockets are four playoff staples of the last few years, in the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Those teams have the advantage of experience, and continuity –– albeit still relatively new in some cases –– over the Rockets.

Below is how the entire conference power rankings shook out.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Denver Nuggets
3. Houston Rockets
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Dallas Mavericks
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. San Antonio Spurs
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Phoenix Suns
14. New Orleans Pelicans
15. Utah Jazz

The Rockets will have far from an season next year, but the newly assembled squad is up for the task.