It wasn’t long ago that the Golden State Warriors held a comfortable and almost commanding lead over the Houston Rockets. Stephen Curry and company were battling with the Los Angeles Lakers for position at the bottom of the playoff standings in the Western Conference, but both teams were more than 5 games up on Houston, who had fallen on hard times after a solid start to the season.
Rockets Now Just A Half-Game Back Of Play-In Spot
THE ROCKETS HAVE WON 9 STRAIGHT GAMES. pic.twitter.com/imbx6kEkOI
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 26, 2024
But the Rockets are now officially the hottest team in the NBA after winning their game against the Trail Blazers on Monday night, winning 9 games in a row, and have narrowed Golden States’ lead to essentially nothing.
The 10th seed is the final Play-In Tournament spot. Seeds 7 through 10 will participate in the end-of-season deciding series, and it has long looked like the Warriors were destined to be a part of it. The idol 6th seed appeared to be too far away, and Houston was far enough back that no one really appeared worried about them.
The Rockets weren’t as lifeless as everyone had assumed, apparently. They haven’t lost a game since March 6th, with their win over the Blazers being the 9th straight. They won the previous two games before that loss to the Clippers on the 6th, meaning that they are 11-1 over their last 12.
Golden State Still Holds Tiebreaker
“I don’t give a damn about the Rockets.”
– Draymond
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 25, 2024
The victory puts Houston over the .500 mark for the first time since January 12th, and they are now within just a half-game of the Warriors for the 10th and final postseason spot. But even if Golden State loses to the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the Rockets will still have to wait at least a day.
Thankfully for the Warriors, they hold the tiebreaker against the Rockets, and will until the end of the season. They have won the first two head-to-head matchups this year, and only have one remaining, meaning that they’ll maintain the edge in that aspect.
The next game for the Rockets will be a seriously tough test, as they will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
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