Houston Rockets open NBA season with hopes of longer playoff run

Catch up quick: Houston finished with an identical 52-30 regular-season record in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Rockets placed fifth in the Western Conference.

• The team has made significant strides under coach Ime Udoka, who is entering his fourth season.

• "We're not here to just make the first round; we want to make some real noise," Udoka said at the team's media day last month. "Everybody's hungrier for that and to take the next step and not plateau."

State of play: The Rockets showed promise in the preseason, finishing 2-1.

Zoom in: The team returns with 38-year-old superstar Kevin Durant, rising stars Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson, and veteran Fred VanVleet, who missed last season with a knee injury.

• Young players Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard are also looking to build on last season.

What's next: The Rockets host the Mavericks at 7:30pm Wednesday at Toyota Center before facing the San Antonio Spurs, who reached the NBA Finals last season, in Austin on Friday.