Rockets Can Clinch Playoff Spot vs. Lakers

The Houston Rockets could be playoff-bound if they beat LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) grabs a defensive rebound against Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are back in action against the Los Angeles Lakers, and the stakes are getting higher as the season winds down.

This game in particular is rather special for the Rockets, since they have the ability to clinch a top-six spot in the Western Conference playoffs, saving them from having to compete in the Play-In Tournament.

If the Rockets win, they will clinch a playoff spot, contingent on the fact that the Memphis Grizzlies lose to the Boston Celtics at home.

Memphis fired head coach Taylor Jenkins a few days ago, and the team lost its last game to the Lakers over the weekend.

The Grizzlies game tips off 2.5 hours before the Rockets do on the west coast, so Houston should know whether it is a win-and-in opportunity early in the game.

However, the Rockets probably aren't putting too much stock into this game. They know that if they play their brand of basketball that the wins will come, and that should be their primary focus.

If the Rockets don't clinch a playoff spot tonight, they will have several more chances to do so as the season winds down for the final two weeks.

Ideally, the Rockets would be able to get that playoff spot clinched sooner rather than later, but Houston's eyes are still on the postseason and becoming the best version of themselves by the time the games really start to count.

Tonight's game against the Lakers can be watched on TNT or streamed on the Max app.