What happened: Houston enters the upcoming campaign positioned on the fence between good and potentially great. The roster holds the necessary ingredients to produce another 50-win season.

Why it matters: The ultimate distance the team can travel in the postseason remains the defining question. Establishing a definitive playoff ceiling will determine if the organization has completed its leap to contention.

What to watch: The Rockets tip off their preseason schedule against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in Macao.