4 Longest winning streaks in Houston Rockets history

The Houston Rockets have been rebuilding for the last several seasons. Treat that as an exception - not a rule. For the most part, this organization prefers to remain competitive.

Go through Rockets history. You won't find many losing seasons. The Rockets aren't always in championship contention, but more often than not, they're at least difficult to beat.

With that success has come some tremendous winning streaks. It's an exhilarating feeling. Your team hasn't lost in a while, and you don't know when they'll lose again. Hopefully, it's something that Rockets fans will experience soon.

In the meantime, let's look at the four longest winning streaks in NBA history.

4. Tie - 1992-93 & 1993-94 (15 wins)

The onset of the glory years. The Hakeem Olajuwon era. What wouldn't we give to go back?

No, the 1992-93 Rockets didn't win an NBA title. They were vanquished by the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference Semifinals. They still finished the year with a 55-27 record. This squad had the distinct makings of something special.

In the next season, the Rockets would actualize that potential. This would be the first of two back-to-back NBA championship runs for the Rockets. What changed between those two seasons?

Well, the Rockets drafted Sam Cassell in between. He was ready to contribute from day one. They also acquired Mario Eli. Those were both strong additions, but above all else, these Rockets developed the chemistry they needed to go the distance behind Olajuwon's dominance.

2. 2017-18 (17 wins)

Those 90s runs may have been the glory years, but many of our readers would be too young to remember them. For many, the 2017-18 season was the apex of their Rockets fandom.

It was a lofty peak. These Rockets looked unbeatable at times. The 2017-18 Rockets had a record of 50-5 when James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela shared the floor. They were the essential components of a wildly effective offensive system. The Rockets had two star guards who were unguardable in the pick-and-roll in vastly different ways, and an archetypical lob threat to complement them.

Unfortunately, health would rob the Rockets of their potential. Chris Paul tore his hamstring against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals when the Rockets had a 3-2 lead. They'd drop the next two contests, and the Warriors sent them home early.

It's one of the biggest "what-ifs" in Rockets history. Would they have finished the job against the Warriors? Could they defeat LeBron James and his Cavaliers in the NBA Finals? We don't know, and we'll never know.

At least this team has their 17-game winning streak.

1. 2007-08 (22 wins)

The 2017-18 Rockets may be the bigger "what-if" story, but a decade earlier, a different iteration of the Rockets left a lot of questions unanswered.

Still, nobody could question their dominance. This team's 22-game winning streak is the golden standard for streaks in the modern era. This was a club with a legitimate chance of winning an NBA title.

Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady led the team. They were among the most talented duos in the NBA. That said, the 2007-08 Rockets were also deep. Shane Battier was one of the best 3-and-D wings in the NBA. That core was flanked by talented players like Steve Francis, Aaron Brooks, Bobby Jackson, Carl Landry, and Louis Scola.

Once again, injuries struck the Rockets. Both McGrady and Ming would get hurt heading into the playoffs. The Rockets disappointingly lost in the first round, and each star's career would never be the same.

Still, we can't sell how competitive they were short.