In a season full of grit and growth, the Houston Rockets have officially punched their ticket to the 2025 NBA Playoffs. For the first time since the 2019-20 season, the Rockets are not just back on the league’s biggest stage - they are doing it with home-court advantage as the second seed in the Western Conference.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Ime Udoka, the Rockets continued to embrace a tough, defensive-minded mentality that turned heads early and often. Houston recorded 50-plus wins this season after going 41-41 in 2023-24 in Udoka’s first season as head coach. That marked a 19-win improvement from 2022-23.
What makes this moment even sweeter for Houston fans is the guarantee of home-court advantage which serves as a reward for the consistency the team maintained throughout the season. Since the 2020 NBA Playoffs were played in the “bubble” in Orlando, the Rockets will host their first playoff games at Toyota Center since the Western Conference Semifinals in May of 2019.
The city of Houston, known for its resilience, now rallies behind a basketball team that mirrors its own energy and is ready to further prove itself during the postseason.
As the Rockets prepare to face their First-Round opponent, the mission is clear. The stage is set, the fans are ready, and the playoffs are coming to H-Town.
The dream is for a third championship is alive.
