Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta Expects Houston to Go to Western Conference Finals

New Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is expecting the Houston Rockets to reach the Western Conference Finals in the 2017-18 season, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com:

As for his decision to buy an NBA franchise, Fertitta felt it was a safer investment than buying an NFL team.

"I would have been scared to pay $2.2 billion for an NFL franchise at this point," he noted, per MacMahon. "...The NBA is where it's at."

He also spoke about his hope to keep the Rockets in his family for many years, and his desire to forge his own identity as a league owner, per NBA TV:

As for Fertitta's expectations for the Rockets this season, they're reasonable. The Rockets finished 55-27 last season and reached the Western Conference semifinals, losing to the San Antonio Spurs. They added perennial All-Star Chris Paul this offseason to pair with James Harden, giving the Rockets one of the best backcourts in the NBA.

That pairing is joined by a strong supporting cast that includes Eric Gordon, Ryan Anderson, Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza, among others. Without Paul, the Rockets were second in the NBA in points per game (115.3). With him, the offense should be even stronger, and having a second superstar should allow the team to lean less heavily on Harden than a year ago.

That could be a huge factor come the postseason, as Harden appeared worn out against San Antonio. While other teams in the Western Conference dramatically improved as well—Oklahoma City added Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, while Minnesota brought Jimmy Butler aboard—the Rockets are a popular choice to face the defending champion Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.