Rockets Would be Wise to Try to Avoid Certain First-Round Playoff Matchups

The NBA playoffs are upon us. Well, not really, because there are still a handful of weeks remaining in the 2025-26 regular season. But they are certainly nearing.

The Houston Rockets have just 17 games left on the schedule. Which has me a bit torn. Or divided.

On the one hand, we get to see Kevin Durant in the postseason. More often than not, from a historical standpoint, Durant rises to the occasion in the playoffs.

He's had some signature, monumental performances in the playoffs. Career-defining, even. Which feels strange to type, considering the career that he's had.

On the other hand, do we really want to see seven games of the Rockets, based on what we've seen recently? Do we have to?

It feels like they're heading for a first round exit anyways. Would that be all that exciting to watch?

It certainly wouldn't be fun to witness. But again, based on the Rockets' play of late, it hard to picture any other outcome.

Of course, it's all dependent on the matchup. Sure.

But can we really feel confident about the Rockets in any postseason matchup? Well, not literally. There are matchups that they'd fare well in.

Well, one matchup, in particular, against the Los Angeles Lakers. And they'd be picked to beat the Phoenix Suns, too, although it seems unlikely that the two teams would face each other.

There's a list of teams that Houston wouldn't fare as well against. They've acknowledged it too, internally.

According to USA Today's Ben DuBose, that is, who is well plugged in to Rockets news, as the beat writer for Rockets Wire.

"From the conversations I've had, it feels to me like internally they view OKC and Denver at the top of the list."

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets are definitely teams that I wouldn't want to see Houston face in the postseason. And certainly not in the opening round of the postseason.

We just saw what the Nuggets did to the Rockets. Sure, it was a back-to-back game, but the Rockets are 1-3 against the Nuggets this season. And there's no excuse for Houston's performance on Wednesday night.

The Rockets are also 1-2 against the Thunder this season. Houston's lone victory over the Thunder came with both Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out due to injury.

I'd also add the San Antonio Spurs to that list of teams. Houston is 1-3 against them this season also.

At the end of the day, it's rather impossible to avoid teams in the playoffs. That strategy never works.

And Houston will have to face one of these teams if they make it out of the first round, anyways. But I tend to agree with their assessment of the potential first-round postseason matchups.