Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
A forgettable Monday night loss to the Phoenix Suns has potentially threatened a perfect chance for the Houston Rockets to do some damage in the playoffs. Houston now faces a must-win regular season finale against the Lakers if the team is to avoid falling to the eighth playoff spot.
Houston held the sixth spot on a tiebreaker with the Golden State Warriors heading into the Suns contest, however, the 119-112 loss in addition to Golden State’s 10-point win over the Spurs meant the Rockets have now fallen a game behind for the sixth seed.
A Houston win against the lowly Suns would have clinched the sixth seed and an away win against the Los Angeles Lakers in the team’s final regular season match-up is now required for the Rockets to avoid falling into eighth position in the West and facing a dreaded first round meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Nothing went Houston’s way against the Suns. The declining Luis Scola registered 26 points and 15 rebounds while P.J. Tucker had a career night with 21 points. Backcourt stars Jeremy Lin and James Harden combined for a disastrous 13-37 shooting night while starting big men Omer Asik and Greg Smith sat on the pine for significant chunks as coach Kevin McHale experimented with a small lineup.
The Lakers contest on Wednesday is a must-win for the Rockets. A loss would ultimately see Houston fall to eighth while the rival Lakers would steal the seventh seed. A win, and a Golden State loss, would ensure the Rockets of the sixth seed and a friendlier first round opponent in the Denver Nuggets.
Robert White covers the Houston Rockets for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @RobertWhitebrrr.
