It’s the best time of the year! Game 1 of 82.

Last season, the Houston Rockets went from 22 to 41 wins. While another 19-win increase would be huge, most Rockets fans would be happy with playoff basketball. The Western Conference is once again occupied and every win counts. Last season finished sixth in the West with 49 wins and 10th with 46. That’s what Houston’s young core and second-year coaching staff expect.

The Charlotte Hornets were Houston’s first win last season. The Rockets started 0-3, then made 21 three-pointers against the Hornets and won a shootout. That ended up being the exact opposite of this team’s identity, and with the entire core retained from last season, tonight looks more like the defensive slugfests that Ime Udoka and the Rockets favored.

Charlotte struggled with injuries last year and finished the season 21-61. LaMelo Ball appeared in just 22 contests. They traded Terry Rozier and PJ Washington. Miles Bridges started the year with a suspension. The player who played the most games last season was Brandon Miller, their high draft pick. The Hornets figure to be a little more stable this season, and that could make them a more difficult team to contend with. And remember: no one knows if they’ll be good or bad in the first month of the season. There are always some unpredictable outcomes that look wild in April.

Charlotte’s new head coach Charles Lee, who comes from the Boston Celtics, causes even more chaos. You know, the same Celtics that basically lived on the three and – well, they won the title, so they didn’t really die on the three. You get it. Ball and Miller shot about 70% of their shots from deep in the preseason. This could be because players don’t drive much in preseason and don’t want to socialize in meaningless games. Or it could be her coach’s new instruction.

If Houston is serious about getting to the postseason, that journey must begin tonight. The newly extended Jalen Green will have even more pressure to show that March Jalen can play in October and November, and Alperen Sengun will have to show that he can be “The Guy” on a playoff team.

Xiane and I will be at Playback again this time. Remember, we can give away 20 passes to watch the game even if you don’t have League Pass or access to Rockets games. Don’t look for an illegal stream when you can just come in, watch legally and for free, and hang out with other Rockets fans. It will be fun!

Tip

7pm CT

Here’s how to watch

Space City home network

Injury report

Rockets

Steven Adams: GTD (Pain)

Hornets

Mark Williams: OUT (foot)

The line (as of this post)

HOU-7

We look forward because we can

Friday night in Houston against the Memphis Grizzlies