A Rockets Win Over the Thunder Would Be Monumental for Multiple Reasons

Friday night's Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder game has many subplots and would be the biggest win of the season for the Rockets.

Dec 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives with the ball as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) and guard Jalen Green (4) defend during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are coming off a blowout win over the Utah Jazz 140-109. The win gave the Rockets their first 50-win season since 2018 and secured their first playoff berth since 2020. The Rockets are currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with only five games remaining.

The Rockets' magic number to clinch the second seed is three games after the Los Angeles Lakers' loss to the Golden State Warriors. Even though the Warriors could still catch the Rockets from their current No. 5 seed if they win out, one of those wins would be over the Denver Nuggets, a team the Rockets have the tiebreaker over.

That makes tonight's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder much more critical. Of course, NBA teams want to win every game, but taking on the team with the best record in the NBA, who have won 11 in a row and 19 of 20, raises the level of the game.

When it comes to wins and losses, what experts and fans think of your team doesn't really matter. However, a win over the Thunder so close to the playoffs would not only snap the Thunder's winning streak, it would show everyone around the NBA that the Rockets can compete with anyone in the NBA.

That is just one of the subplots for Friday night's game, and another one for the Rockets is how it affects their playoff run. A win Friday by the Rockets clinches home court in the first round of the playoffs. The Rockets have a few players who have been through playoff battles before coming to the Rockets, but most of the roster has never played a single playoff game.

Starting the first round at the Toyota Center would help players like Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, who possibly could have butterflies playing in the playoffs for the first time in their careers. The most significant advantage to home-court advantage is playing a potential Game 7 in your arena.

Fred VanVleet is not on the injury report, so the Rockets should have everyone available except Dillon Brooks who is serving a one-game suspension. Even though the Thunder secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference weeks ago, as of this writing, none of their leading players are on the injury report.

The Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder in the biggest game of the season as they look to clinch home-court advantage in the first round.

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