Inside The Rockets

Despite Loss, Rockets Gain Ground in Race for Second Seed

The Houston Rockets' most recent loss to the Denver Nuggets brought the Rockets closer to the rest of the field in the Western Conference. However, the teams trailing Houston have lost since, giving the Rockets a slightly larger lead for the No. 2 seed.

Trenton Whiting

Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) looks to pass the ball during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 23, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) looks to pass the ball during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The Houston Rockets must thank the Chicago Bulls for having some of their best games of the season against a few of Houston's Western Conference competitors. Even after suffering a difficult loss to the Denver Nuggets in Houston's last game, the Rockets' lead for the No. 2 seed has grown without needing to play another game. As the season's end grows closer, the Rockets' claim on the second seed also grows.

The Bulls played a large role in helping Houston grow its lead for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.

Chicago won back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Nuggets, the two teams behind the Rockets in the standings. Neither game was close; the Bulls dominated Los Angeles despite LeBron James and Luka Doncic playing for the Lakers. Denver's Jamal Murray scored 28 points against Chicago, but the Nuggets lost by 10 points to the East's No. 9-seeded team.

The Bulls play the Lakers again in their next game, and the Rockets hope Coby White and Josh Giddey can continue their stellar play to secure another victory. A loss would send Los Angeles to a four-game losing streak after falling to the Orlando Magic.

After their defeat, the Rockets hold a 1.5-game lead over the Nuggets, and Houston has another chance to play against Denver to press the advantage further. Houston will also play against the Lakers two more times before the season ends, creating critical matchups for both teams.

Houston shouldn't depend on the performance of other teams to determine its destiny. The Rockets still have a chance to earn the No. 2 seed outright, but they face a difficult path ahead with an impending three-game road trip that finishes with a match against the Lakers. After two home games in a row featuring a tough game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Rockets will head back to California to face the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Lakers again. Houston will then face the Nuggets at home to finish the season, potentially with the second seed on the line.

Most of Houston's final matchups this season are against fellow Western Conference postseason teams, so the Rockets could drop a few more games before the season's end. For now, the Rockets enjoy slight growth to their lead as some of their competitors fall.

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Trenton Whiting
TRENTON WHITING

Trenton is a Houston-born, Pearland-raised University of Houston graduate who first developed his love for journalism while in school. He began his professional career as a sports reporter for a newspaper in Columbus, Texas, before becoming the managing editor.

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