The Rockets Will Be Tested In Their First Few Matchups

The first few weeks of the season feature several difficult matchups for the Houston Rockets, as they face some of the league's top teams early.

Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) controls the ball against Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) during the first half in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Despite the injury to Fred VanVleet, the Houston Rockets still expect big things for next season. The front office has compiled a roster of complementary players with the capability of contributing to winning at a high level. The Rockets are confident in their young players and each of their veteran additions moving into next season.

Houston's confidence will be tested right away as the team faces off against several top teams in the first several weeks of the season. How they respond could be an indicator of where they stand among the league's best.

The 2025-26 regular season involves a homecoming, as new Rocket Kevin Durant returns to witness the ring ceremony for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder won their first title in franchise history for a reason, dominating teams with their defense, shooting, and the play of MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Thunder aren't unbeatable; the Indiana Pacers gave them all they could handle in a full 7-game series in the NBA Finals. However, Oklahoma City could still be the league's best team starting from game one against the Rockets.

A few days after that major test, the Rockets will face off against Amen Thompson's twin as the Detroit Pistons come into Houston.

The Pistons are a team that has a lot of intrigue in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has a good mix of impact veterans and star young players, similar to Houston's roster construction. The Pistons are also moving into next season with high expectations and would like to prove their spot with a big early-season victory.

After a two-game stretch against teams that will likely be in next year's lottery, the Rockets visit the Jayson Tatum-less Boston Celtics on the first day of November.

While this matchup loses some of its impact due to Tatum's unfortunate injury, the Celtics will still be one of the best teams in the East and a significant challenge for the Rockets.

The following game is a one-game homestand against in-state rivals, the Dallas Mavericks. Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis hope to keep the ship upright while waiting for Kyrie Irving to return. Houston will have to match their length and defensive abilities to keep up in that game.

The Rockets then head on a difficult three-game trip to end a tough stretch.

They'll face the Memphis Grizzlies, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Milwaukee Bucks in less than a week, seeing elite athletes, strong defenses and quality shooting against teams that will be competing for postseason spots by the end of the season.

The Rockets will likely take some early losses against some of these teams, but they must find a way to win more than they lose to prove they can still compete against the best, even without their leader and floor general.