NBA Power Rankings: Rockets' biggest rivals identified in newest rankings

The Houston Rockets are widely expected to be one of the best teams in the NBA next season. According to NBA.com's power rankings, they're the third-best club in the league.

I just discussed ESPN's power rankings. They've got Houston second. A one spot drop isn't a significant departure. There's a clear consensus that the Rockets are one of the league's best teams:

But it's the team that NBA.com ranked ahead of them that's significant.

Rockets face stiff competition in the Western Conference

Yup. It's the Nuggets.

I've discussed Denver here as well. They're terrifying. If Houston didn't have the best offseason in the NBA, that's because the Nuggets did.

First, they traded Michael Porter Jr. and a future first for Cameron Johnson. This was their most significant move. Johnson is a higher volume three-point shooter than Porter Jr. and a substantially better defender. This was a meaningful upgrade.

Next, the Nuggets added Bruce Brown. They're well-acquainted with the versatile guard/wing. Brown can do a bit of everything on the floor. Injuries have limited him in recent years, but he could be a strong addition to their roster.

Finally, Denver acquired Jonas Valanciunas. That will be interesting. Valanciunas can pair with Nikola Jokic to form a unique version of Houston's twin towers. They won't be as impactful defensively, but they could be potent on offense. He'll also be the former MVP's best backup ever.

Yeah...this is a scary team. The Nuggets could do some real damage in 2025-26.

Are they better than the Rockets?

Rockets have a chance to be the league's second-best team

It's impossible to say.

The logical starting point is this: Nikola Jokic is the best player between these teams. That's not debatable. If Jokic isn't the best player in the league, he's second to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Rockets have a depth advantage. Durant would be the next-best player in Denver. So would Alperen Sengun (ignoring his clunky fit with Jokic). For that matter, so would Amen Thompson.

If we're power ranking both rosters, Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson both rank ahead of anyone else in Houston. After that, Aaron Gordon is a great player, but either Tari Eason or Jabari Smith Jr. could certainly usurp him in 2025-26.

Perhaps this is an exercise in futility. Comparing rosters has limited value when talking about two top teams. This matchup will boil down to chemistry and luck as much as anything else.

The bottom line is that ESPN was justified in ranking the Rockets ahead of the Nuggets. NBA.com was justified in ranking Denver ahead of Houston. This is a close call, and we'll have to see how 2025-26 plays out:

Either way, the Rockets are one of the best teams in the NBA.