NBA Standings: Can Rockets Get Over .500?

The Houston Rockets are 31-35. Can they win 10 of their final 16 games to get to .500?

Jeremy Brener | Mar 15, 2024

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are 31-35 after winning four straight games and seven of their last eight.

They are making a final "Hail Mary" push for the postseason, sitting 3.5 games behind the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors.

But can the Rockets defy the odds, claw back to .500 and make the Play-In Tournament? Bleacher Report doesn't believe so, projecting the Rockets to finish 36-46 to end the season.

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) dribbles the ball during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Toyota Center. — Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) dribbles the ball during the first quarter against the Washington Wizards at Toyota Center / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"Houston hasn't been wiped out of the play-in tournament race yet, but one more losing skid might effectively seal its fate," Bleacher Report writes. "And if the Rockets have nothing to play for, their losses could pile up late."

The next two weeks are critical for the Rockets' playoffs hopes. After playing the Cleveland Cavaliers Saturday night, their next four games come against teams that are currently under .500. If they can sweep those games, their chances remain intact, but one loss could completely derail their hopes if the Warriors keep winning themselves.

On April 4, the Rockets and Warriors meet for one final regular season matchup, and that game could ultimately dictate who gets the No. 10 seed.

But this is an extremely uphill battle for the Rockets, even with their recent surge. Playing without Cam Whitmore and Alperen Sengun will be difficult for the team, but if they can overcome this obstacle, they may be able to get them for the final games of the regular season and playoffs if they get that far.

Cam Whitmore Brings 'Nastiness' to Rockets

The Rockets and Cavs are set to tip off at 4 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon inside the Toyota Center.

Published Mar 15, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.