Rockets Predicted to Post Identical Record in 2025-26

The Houston Rockets essentially jumped off the porch in 2024-25, waltzing their way to a 52-30 season -- good for second-best in the Western Conference. The Rockets had the fourth-best record in the entire league and ended their playoff drought in year two of Ime Udoka's coaching tenure in Houston.

Granted, the Rockets had been an up-and-coming team, which was inevitable, considering the amount of youth and talent on the roster. 

This offseason, the Rockets got significantly better, adding their first marquee player since their four-year rebuild in Kevin Durant. The team also added depth on the wing, signing Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie, despite already being arguably one of the NBA's deepest teams.

In spite of that, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey predicted the team to post the same 52-30 record in 2025-26. 

"It may seem silly to have the Houston Rockets winning the same number of games they did in 2024-25.

This offseason, they replaced Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks with Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith. And it would be more than reasonable to expect improvement from each of Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard.

In this Western Conference, though, getting any number of wins over 50 is going to be tough.

And the Rockets presumed leading scorer, Durant, turns 37 in September. He played 75 games in 2023-24, but he's averaged just under 55 over the half-decade since returning from his ruptured Achilles.

That and a lack of high-end offensive creation beyond KD could limit Houston's chances of hitting a very high over-under."

Durant is a significant upgrade over Jalen Green. Even the newest Suns guard would admit that.

Anyone would admit that.

Having a certified bucket-getter and one of the game's best historical closers alone is an improvement.

Losing Dillon Brooks will hurt, as he became a very good shooter for the team in his second season, at a near 40 percent clip on good volume (6.3 attempts -- a career-high). He's also one of the best defenders at his position. 

But he commits dumb fouls at times, as evident in the Rockets' postseason series against the Golden State Warriors. And at times, his crosses the line with his edgy temperament.

Finney-Smith is a good enough fill-in.

The lack of offensive creation is a real concern, but it was also a concern last season, yet the Rockets were still one of the league's top-five teams.

The defense will still be good -- that's Udoka's area of expertise. If the offense improves upon its 13th-ranked offensive rating, there's no reason to think the Rockets won't win more games this season.