Rockets find Golden opportunity as first-round opponent is revealed

The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors. They're synonymous. Throughout the 2010s, they were at constant odds.

The Warriors ruled the day. They were the best team in the NBA by a considerable margin. A large portion of the NBA's Western Conference waved white flags. Teams reasoned that as long as the Warriors dominated, it was time to rebuild.

Not the Rockets.

This organization put a group together that could rival the Warriors. Behind James Harden, they almost got the better of them. The Rockets could never vanquish the Warriors, but they came awfully close.

Now, they have an opportunity for sweet revenge.

Rockets to face rivals in first round

After the play-in results, it's official: The Rockets and Warriors will meet in the first round of the 2024-25 NBA playoffs.

Memphis would have been an undeniably easier matchup for the Rockets. This is a team in chaos. The Grizzlies were not supposed to be in the play-in, let alone lose the first game.

Chalk it up to a grueling Western Conference. The Warriors weren't supposed to be this far down in the standings either. As for the Rockets:

They weren't supposed to be the second seed.

Yet, here we are. The Rockets finished the 2024-25 season as the second-best team in the Western Conference. They'll have home-court advantage against the Warriors in the first round.

What a golden opportunity.

Rockets can take revenge in opening round

It's not going to be easy.

The Warriors aren't your average seventh seed. They've been rolling since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. This is a veteran group with a wealth of championship experience. The Warriors are a threat.

The Rockets are arguably the toughest team in the NBA. They're young, brash, and hungry. They're bigger and more athletic than the Warriors. Nobody should sell the advantages they have in this series short.

More broadly, the Rockets had to cut their teeth eventually. Sure, they'd have been more likely to beat the Grizzlies. Whoeever they faced in the second round would have been a more formidable foe. Does winning the first round matter so much?

This season was never about winning the NBA championship for the young Rockets. It was - and still is - about gathering data. It's about separating the wheat from the chaff and seeing which of these young Rockets is worth bringing into the future.

It may also be about sweet, sweet revenge.