It is undeniable that the Houston Rockets are the best team in basketball right now. Since losing to the Jazz on January 27, the Rockets have won 19 straight. I don’t care what level you’re playing at, whether it’s pro, college, or even high school, that’s awesome. Only the ’71-’72 Lakers and ’71-’72 Bucks have surpassed the Rockets’ current feat, winning 33 and 20 in a row, respectively. But then again, with Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leading the way, I’m surprised those winning streaks weren’t longer.
The question at hand, however, is whether the 2008 Rockets can match or even surpass the Lakers’ record of 33 wins and no losses. In my opinion, that is quite a difficult task. But, hypothetically, it is possible. Here are the next 15 teams the Rockets must play to do it:
1. Falcons 2. Bobcats 3. Lakers 4. Celtics 5. Hornets 6. Warriors 7. Suns 8. Kings 9. Timberwolves 10. Spurs 11. Kings 12. Trail Blazers 13. Sonics 14. Clippers 15. Sonics
This schedule poses a host of threats to the Rockets’ winning streak. 7 of the 15 teams are over .500 and are potential playoff teams. Four of them have better records and possibly more talent. Also, as the old adage goes, on any given day any team can win. Even teams under .500.
So is it possible for the Rockets to continue their winning streak and reach the 34 mark? Yes. Is it likely? No. In fact, the Rockets will be lucky if they can win 10 of their next 15 games. The Rockets are a very good team that is having a lot of momentum right now. But facing a stretch where you have to play five teams, any one of which could win the NBA title this year, is a tough ride for even the best teams. What will happen? The Rockets will beat the Hawks and Bobcats to bring their record to 21-0 since Jan. 27, but then lose in quick succession to the Lakers and Celtics. Both Boston and Los Angeles have too much firepower to lose to the Rockets without Yao.