The Houston Rockets have thrust themselves into the NBA title picture over the offseason after the acquisition of All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

It has led to a simulation of NBA 2K18 conducted by Final Score had the Rockets earning their third championship in franchise history this upcoming season.

Houston will have some major challenges to get past in the Western Conference in the defending champion Golden State Warriors, revamped Oklahoma City Thunder, and San Antonio Spurs. Each of the teams could be argued as being as stronger candidates to come out of the West this upcoming season.

The Rockets have built a roster around their All-Star backcourt of Paul and James Harden to lead them offensively in the fast-paced offense under reigning Coach of the Year Mike D'Antoni. The success of the team may ultimately hinge on how the two can acquiesce to playing alongside each other with a potentially shared ball-handling responsibility.

This may just be a simulation, but it at least acknowledges that the Rockets could become a serious title contender this upcoming season in an even more stacked Western Conference. What it does more than anything else is build a greater sense of anticipation for what may come.