Happy Holidays from the TDS family to yours! We are truly thankful for you all!
As the calendar year draws closer to an end and we take this time to reflect on the things we have to be thankful for, there is no doubt that Rockets fans have much to be thankful for. For the sake of time that many of you have a limited amount of to spare while you prepare America’s favorite meal, I have narrowed it down to these three reasons Rockets fans have to be thankful this year.
Reason #3 – The Dallas Mavericks Lost the NBA Finals
When the Dallas Mavericks went into the 2024 playoffs as the five seed and made it all the way to the NBA Finals, they threatened to become just the third team to win the NBA finals having never had home advantage in any series during the playoffs. As most TDS subscribers know the Houston Rockets accomplished that in 1995, and the 1969 Boston Celtics accomplished it back when there were only 14 teams in the league, as the number four seed in the Eastern Division.
Houston Rockets fans know very much that the inner state rivalry between the Rockets and the Mavericks is just as much between the fans as it is the two teams. Had the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship, not only would they have accomplished something that had not been done since the Rockets did it in 1995, but they would also match the Houston Rockets in NBA titles won, which would have made the “South Oklahoma” fans unbearable!
It was already hard enough that Houston had to watch the Rangers win the World Series last October, so any chance we get to revel in the Dallas fans misery, we should always be thankful for that!
Reason #2 – You are not a Hornets fan
The Rockets have not been in the post season since 2020 and they look well poised to change that this season. The drought of four seasons with no playoffs has been difficult, but it could be worse.
The Charlotte Hornets for instance have not been in the playoffs since 2016 and will likely extend that steak to nine years by the end of this NBA season. Not only that, but when they were in the playoffs, at no point were they ever contenders to win a title.
As Rockets fans, we are blessed to be supporting a team that although they have not won a championship in 30 years, they have been a relevant franchise. The four-year drought is the longest in franchise history since the ‘70s. The Rockets have had amazing owners who have been dedicated to putting a winning product on the floor, and as Rockets fans, we are thankful.
Reason #1 – The Future is bright!
With players such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry approaching the twilight of their careers, there has been a young batch of stars that are emerging, but it isn’t quite clear which franchise is going to be the next Golden State Warriors.
Could it be the OKC Thunder? Could it be the Spurs once Victor Wembanyama finds his running mate in San Antonio? Could it be the Houston Rockets?
I’m not going to compare the skill set of this Rockets team to that of the young Warriors teams in the early to mid 2010s, but as far as the depth of young talent the Rockets have, it is comparable. It is one that of the reasons that we can also be thankful that Rafael Stone does not seem in a hurry to break up the group and is keen on letting them develop together.
That type of patience is rare in today’s sports landscape. We have seen firsthand that many Rockets rosters had a year maybe two to accomplish something before being revamped in some form or fashion. The money is big in the NBA and these owners want returns on their investments. Players’ ability to leverage themselves into team-ups has also changed the way rosters are built. However the Rockets appear to be doing things the right way.
With a depth of young talented players and trade assets in their possession the Rockets could be primed to fill the void of who is next, and for that Houston, we should he extremely thankful. Yes, it took a lot of challenging times to get here, but as discussed in the earlier reason the rebuild has been relatively quick.
The Rockets have clinched their place in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals and will play that game on either December 10 or 11, with a chance to advance to the semifinals in Vegas. The Golden State Warriors are the only other team to have clinched their group, going 3-0 in group play just as the Rockets did. What an opportunity to show what this young Rockets team is really made of and perhaps send the message, “We’re next.”
Conclusion
It has been my absolute pleasure to be apart of this amazing Houston Rockets community and I can not reiterate enough how thankful I am for every person who takes the time to stop and read not just my articles, but those of all the talented staff writers here at TDS. What a wonderful time to be a Rockets fan! Happy Thanksgiving to you all.