Evaluating the Houston Rockets' First 10 Games of 2024-25

Can the Rockets get off to a fast start next season?

Apr 12, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka talks to assistant coaches before the start of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA schedule was released Thursday afternoon, and the Houston Rockets now know how their season will play out. Even though teams have been able to make the playoffs after having bad starts, the chances of cracking the top eight in your conference go down significantly if you stumble out of the gate, especially in the Western Conference.

The Rockets have high expectations this season, and in a competitive Western Conference, they must get off to a fast start, especially in the first 10 games. The Rockets started last season by losing their first three games but then turned it around by winning their next six in a row before losing their tenth game to the Clippers to start the season 6-4.

The Rockets first 10 games next season will feature a mixture of playoff contenders and teams who struggled in 2023-24. The Rockets will open the first 10-game stretch against LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets, who have been among the worst teams for several seasons.

The following nine games are the Memphis Grizzlies; they face the San Antonio Spur three times in the first ten games, the Dallas Mavericks, Golden St. Warriors, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and to finish off the ten-game stretch, the Detroit Pistons.

As mentioned earlier, it is a mix of contenders and teams that finished at the bottom of the standings last season. What will the Rockets record be after ten games this season?

Houston Rockets Record After the First Ten Games

Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka looks on against the Utah Jazz during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Rockets will probably be favored in at least four or five games, and the first 10 games will be an even split between home and road games. The Rockets should begin the season with a win over the Hornets. They won both games last season, winning by 34 in the final matchup of the season, 138-104. The Hornets have not made any significant changes since last season, and the Rockets have the most talent of the two teams.

The next three games feature a matchup with Ja Morant and the Grizzlies. Morant missed most of last season, first serving a suspension and then suffering a season-ending injury not too long after his return. With a healthy Morant, the Rockets will have their work cut out for them.

They then take on the Spurs in back-to-back games on the road, and NBA fans will get the matchup they have been waiting for since Alperen Sengun scored a career-high 45 points against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in the Rockets March 5th win over the Spurs.

After the Spurs, the Rockets will finish October off by facing Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in Dallas. After the first five games, the Rockets should have a 3-2 record, with wins over the Hornets and wins in both games in San Antonio.

The following five games feature a Warriors team the Rockets haven't defeated in years. They then take on one of the best teams in the Western Conference, the Thunder, and one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks.

The Rockets have another matchup with the Spurs and finish off the ten-game stretch in Detroit against the Pistons. Just like the first five games, it is a balance of good and bad teams. The Rockets should go 3-2 with their first win over the Warriors in years and victories over the Knicks and Pistons to wrap up the first ten games.

Conclusion

For some fans, 6-4 may not be what they want from the Rockets to start the season, but it may be a reality as the Rockets face some tough teams to start the season. If the Rockets can have a good start and not only compete but defeat some of the better teams in the league, it could be the springboard they need to jump into playoff contention.

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