HOUSTON – With just two games remaining, there are three teams still looking to claim the final two western conference playoff spots.
The Houston Rockets are one of those three teams. They play at the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight and with a win, they will at least keep their playoff hopes alive until their final game on Wednesday.
Houston trails the Dallas Mavericks by two games and the Utah Jazz by one game. All three teams have two games remaining.
Houston will win a two-team tiebreaker with either team.
Dallas plays at Utah tonight. If Utah wins and Houston loses, then the Rockets would be eliminated from the playoff chase.
However if Houston wins and and Dallas wins, then the Rockets would slide into eighth place in the west and would clinch the playoffs with a win on Wednesday at home against Sacramento.
The Rockets would make the playoffs if:
Houston goes 2-0, and Dallas loses twice or Utah loses once.
Houston goes 1-1 and Utah loses twice.
Remaining schedules:
Dallas (41-39): At Utah (Monday), vs San Antonio (Wednesday).
Utah (40-40): vs Dallas (Monday), at Los Angeles Lakers (Wednesday).
Houston (39-41): at Minnesota (Monday), vs Sacramento (Wednesday).