Predicting the Houston Rockets' NBA Cup Record

The Rockets will face a few playoff contenders in this year's NBA Cup.

Nov 17, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) drives to the basket against L.A. Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets are gearing up for a 2024 NBA Cup that promises to add excitement to the regular season. The Rockets find themselves in West Group A, alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and Portland Trail Blazers. With a mix of young talent and experienced players, the Rockets are poised to make a strong showing in the group play phase.

The Rockets’ schedule includes two home games and two away games. The top team from each group and one wild card team will make the quarterfinals, so even if Houston doesn't win West Group A, they can still make the cut due to record and point differential. The key to their success will lie in their ability to perform consistently across these games.

The Rockets start off group play on Nov. 15 at home against the Clippers. With LA on the decline after losing Paul George, they are expected to finish around the Rockets in terms of record. Given homecourt advantage and the Rockets' elite defense which matches up nicely against Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, expect Houston to win their first game.

The Rockets continue their NBA Cup homestand on Nov. 22 against the Trail Blazers. Not much time should be wasted, as Portland is a rebuilding team traveling on the road. Houston should definitely win this game, and it would be a shock if they dropped this one.

After the Trail Blazers comes the Rockets' toughest matchup in group play. Against Minnesota on the road, Houston will be a no-doubt underdog, as they will face the reigning Western Conference runner-up. It will take hard defense and matched offensive production, but the Timberwolves will be expected to win here.

Houston rounds out group play on the road on Dec. 3 against the Kings. The Kings are in a similar tier to the Rockets in the West, so expect a close matchup with newly added star DeMar DeRozan. In what is expected to be a fun and close game, the Kings should pull off the win with homecourt advantage.

Given the Rockets’ current roster and the dynamics of their group, a realistic prediction for their record in the group play phase would be 2-2. This balanced outcome reflects their potential to win at home while facing challenges on the road, as they find themselves in a group with teams in similar tiers to Houston.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.