The Houston Rockets are preparing for the 2024 NBA Cup, which is expected to add even more excitement to the regular season. The Rockets are in West Group A, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves, LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Portland Trail Blazers. With a mix of young talent and experienced players, the Rockets are poised to put on a strong performance in the group stage.

The Rockets’ schedule includes two home games and two away games. The top team in each group and one wild card team will advance to the quarterfinals. Even if Houston doesn’t win West Group A, they can still make it based on their record and point differential. The key to their success will be their ability to perform consistently in these games.

The Rockets begin group play at home against the Clippers on November 15. With LA in the midst of relegation after losing Paul George, they are expected to finish about as high as the Rockets in terms of points. Given the home court advantage and the Rockets’ elite defense that has stood up well to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, Houston is expected to win its first game.

The Rockets continue their NBA Cup home game on November 22nd against the Trail Blazers. There shouldn’t be much time to waste as Portland is a team that is still building and on the road. Houston should definitely win this game and it would be a surprise if they lost this one.

After the Trail Blazers comes the Rockets’ toughest matchup in group play. Away against Minnesota, Houston will undoubtedly be the underdog as they face the reigning Western Conference runners-up. It will require tough defense and an offensive performance to match, but the Timberwolves are expected to win here.

Houston will play the group stage away against the Kings on December 3. The Kings are on a similar level to the Rockets in the West, so a close duel with newly added star DeMar DeRozan is to be expected. In an exciting and close game, the Kings should win with home advantage.

Given the Rockets’ current roster and the dynamics of their group, a realistic prediction for their group stage record would be 2-2. This even record reflects their potential to win at home while facing challenges away from home, as they are in a group with teams at similar levels to Houston.

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