The Houston Rockets are entering one of their most important seasons in years as the team they've created have high expectations to compete. Compared to some of the other professional teams in Houston, the Rockets have added pressure from the fan base as the lone team that seems ready to compete in the short term.
The Rockets have a lot of elements that will help them compete against the other top teams in the NBA. A superstar in Kevin Durant, impact young players in Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, as well as quality role players, like Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Steven Adams.
With their collection of talent, they are capable of matching up with any team in the NBA, and they'll have a good chance to win in a postseason series.
They might be the only team in Houston that can claim they have an opportunity to win at a high level, as the other main Houston professional sports teams have shown an inability to keep up with the rest of their respective leagues.
The Houston Astros lost a key series that potentially could have decided their division. Now, they will need to win out and secure some help from other teams to have a chance at making the postseason.
The Astros have consistently been the most competitive team in Houston as both the Rockets and Houston Texans suffered through rebuilds at the start of the decade.
If the Astros miss the postseason, it will be the first time since 2016 that they won't be featured in October.
The Texans don't have to go as far back to the last time they failed to reach the postseason. The current era began with promise, winning the division twice and securing two postseason victories in the first two seasons.
The third season of this iteration of the Texans has not started off according to plan, losing in each of the first three games with little reason to believe in a significant turnaround.
The Rockets haven't been in a position where they are the lone Houston team carrying the city's championship hopes. In their last competitive era, they saw the Astros win a championship, and the Texans win several division titles.
Now, they hold the keys to the city as it seems the Rockets may be the only team ready to compete this season. Houston is laying its hopes on a team that seems prepared to play at the highest levels.
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