3 things that need to happen for the Houston Rockets to make the play-in game

Coming off their worst season in almost two decades, most people thought it would take the Houston Rockets years to be back in playoff contention. However, their fan base has been energized by their successful draft night when they brought in three potential impactful players and one potential superstar.

It's hard to remember, but early last season the Rockets were one of the hottest teams in the league. After the James Harden trade, they were 11-10 and had just won seven of eight games. Unfortunately, Christian Wood suffered a severe ankle injury, and the Rockets plummeted down the standings. The lost season on the court ended up being a coupe on draft night when they landed the second overall pick.

2021-22 will be a completely different story. The Rockets have a combination of good veteran players who will be healthy this year and a group of talented rookies. As we all know, talent and high draft picks don't always equate to success. Just ask the Minnesota Timberwolves. Today, we can say that this Rockets team does not have the worst roster in the league and, in theory, should be significantly better than last year.

The real question is how much better can this team be and if they have any chance to shock the world and fight for a play-in spot. For that to happen, these three things must take place this season.