Rockets' Potential First-Round Opponent Could Give Them Trouble

One Western Conference team has fallen within the realm of possibility to face Houston in the first round of the playoffs.

Dec 8, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets' first-round opponent in the playoffs is yet to be decided with the Western Conference standings race heating up. There are currently five teams gunning for the fourth seed, all of which are separated by one game or tied.

The Denver Nuggets lead the pack at 48-32, but there's a good chance they could fall back to the Play-In Tournament and fight for a date with the Rockets. They've been the talk of the town as of late, having fired head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth late in the regular season.

The Rockets and Nuggets will face in the final game before the postseason, having split the season series thus far at one win apiece. Despite interim head coach David Adelman being thrust into the position, Denver showed offensive dominance in its most recent game against the Sacramento Kings, winning 124-116.

The Nuggets might be the scariest team for Houston in round one, as they're led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. The three-time winner is having a historic season, averaging a ludicrous 29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists. He has yet to play the Rockets this season, yet Denver managed to pull off a win without its franchise player.

The key matchup in this series would undoubtedly be Jokic going up against his prototype, Alperen Sengun. The Turkish center has been impressive in his own right, making his first All-Star appearance at 22 years old. The two share many similarities: European centers, generally unathletic, and great all-around players with incredible IQ despite their position.

The Nuggets are expected to have Jokic's running mate, Jamal Murray, back before the start of the postseason. The biggest reason Denver could give Houston serious problems in the playoffs is the experience. The team is less than 20 months removed from its 2023 championship run, and seeing as how Jokic is having a career year, the Nuggets are a scary team to make a run even with their struggles.

The tale of the tape would be a team with an elite offense that lacks on the defensive end, going up against its opposite. The Rockets have been pests on the defensive side all season long, while the Nuggets have yet to find a team that can consistently stop their offensive dominance. It's their defense that keeps them from succeeding even more.

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