The Houston Rockets Should Avoid the Play-In Tournament

The Houston Rockets have immense potential to be a true contender in the NBA. Because of this, the expectations for the team remain high. The hope for the Rockets is that they will make a run in the playoffs.

In order to do so, it is crucial that they finish the regular season in the top six. A top-six finish would ensure that they make it to the playoffs while avoiding the Play-In Tournament.

The NBA Play-In Tournament was first introduced to the NBA on June 4, 2020, in order to adjust for the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic had forced an abrupt stop to the 2019-2020 NBA regular season.

When the NBA resumed, the season had lost valuable time, and the league reduced the number of regular-season games. The break created by COVID left the teams having played an unequal number of games. The NBA solved this issue by creating the Play-In Tournament.

After the pandemic, the NBA decided to keep the tournament in the subsequent years in order to discourage teams from tanking and to keep the late-season games competitive.

The tournament now creates a route into the playoffs for the lower seeds, but adds extra games for the teams that finish the regular season in seventh and eighth. This makes it that much more important for the Rockets to finish in the top six, as it allows them to rest and get ready for the first round of the playoffs.

Getting the rest is crucial, as it allows the players to stay fit and keep their bodies healthy, which was a big issue for Houston last season and a reason for the team’s early exit in the playoffs. Houston lost their superstar Kevin Durant to injuries, as he was maybe overworked and too heavily relied on. Not having their best player suit up was a major reason that the Rockets suffered a 4-2 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

If the Rockets want to avoid another disappointing finish to the season, finishing top six will be the first achievable hurdle to surpass. The Spurs, Thunder, Timberwolves, and Nuggets are projected as the top four teams in the Western Conference.

However, the Rockets should be in fifth, having a slight edge over the Lakers and the Warriors. The Rockets have had a quietly strong offseason, putting them in a great position to reach their high expectations and finish the upcoming regular season in the top six.