The Western Conference playoff picture is tightening. See if the Rockets can secure a favorable seed and home-court advantage in their final crucial games.
While there’s still two regular season games left on the schedule for most teams, plenty of the final positions are wrapped up for the postseason. Obviously the bottom feeders of the conference have been eliminated from playoff contention for quite some time.
That’d be Utah, Sacramento, Dallas, Memphis, and New Orleans. Multiple of which have been investigated and/or fined for suspected tanking this season.
Thankfully the Rockets aren’t in that mix, but they could still be in a better position. OKC just officially clinched the number one seed in the West last night, despite San Antonio’s surge up the standings. That locked the Spurs into second place by default.
With the first two positions officially set, the Denver Nuggets sit in third. One thing to note here is that their last two games are against OKC and San Antonio. Considering there’s no incentive for those teams to win, you could almost assume they’d be resting everyone. Maybe both teams at that point.
This is where things get interesting. After losing virtually every season series against top Western Conference opponents, this Houston squad has put themselves in a precarious situation.
If we’re being honest, the Rockets’ only chance at getting home court advantage was gifted to them by the Injury Gods. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves each had to leave the rotation with different Grade 2 sprains, resulting in the Lakers losing three straight.
Minnesota also lost three consecutive games before splitting their two most recent. Anthony Edwards only played in one of the games. A disappointing 1-4 stretch for the Wolves locked them into sixth place.
This gave Houston the chance they needed, and even to get their preferred matchup, as previously discussed on Roundtable. If they want to get home court advantage, they’ll need to continue their winning ways.
Friday versus the Wolves should presumably be an easy game, as Minnesota just essentially forfeited last night. Tonight against the Sixers will be a big deciding factor. Assuming the Lakers lose to the Warriors tonight, a Houston win would put them in fourth place.
The Rockets would still have to finish the season with ten straight wins in order to get to third place. Even then, the Nuggets would have to lose both of their two games against the Thunder and Spurs. Not something I find very likely.
So just win tonight to see themselves slotted back in fourth place. Otherwise, I’d be a little concerned with their 22-19 road record in Round 1. Tune in for a 7pm tipoff in Houston to see if the Rockets can win their eighth straight.