Rockets Won't Settle For Playoff Berth

The Houston Rockets are playoff-bound for the first time since 2020 after beating the Utah Jazz to clinch their 50th victory of the season.

With five games left to go, the Rockets can bump that number up to 55, but that's ultimately not the goal for Houston.

The Rockets may be the playoff newbie in the Western Conference this season stuck in the middle of teams all deep into their contender windows, but Houston won't settle for being the new bell of the ball this time around.

If the Rockets are going to make the playoffs and be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, they might as well try to win it all. It may be a bit premature to call the Rockets a true championship contender, but they have proven that they can compete with the best teams in the West.

Their status as the league's top rebounding team is what makes them able to compete, and even if they are considered as the least experienced team in this year's postseason field, the Rockets won't use that as an excuse.

There is a lot of confidence in the Rockets locker room that this team can compete now. The future is now, and they should do everything in their power to take advantage of the opportunity placed in front of them.

The Rockets will have a strong test tonight as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT from inside Toyota Center.