Rockets Heating Up at Right Time

The Houston Rockets have established themselves as one of the best teams in the NBA, and with the season winding down, there is enough of a sample size to prove that it isn't a fluke going into the postseason.

That's why NBA.com contributor John Schuhmann has the Rockets at No. 4 in his power rankings for a second consecutive week.

"The Rockets have risen above the crowd of teams fighting for the 3-8 spots in the West by winning 15 of their last 17 games. It was a soft stretch of schedule at first, but they picked up impressive victories over the Thunder and Warriors over the weekend and are just one win (or a Laker loss) from clinching the 2 seed," Schuhmann writes.

Only the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder are listed higher in the power rankings, and considering they are the only teams with a better record than the Rockets, it is justified.

The Rockets lack the experience to match them, but that doesn't mean that they will fold against them in the playoffs. Houston is playing the right brand of basketball at the right time of the year, and that makes the team incredibly scary going into the postseason.

The Rockets are back in action tomorrow against the Los Angeles Clippers before visiting the Los Angeles Lakers once more at Crypto.com Arena. Then, the regular season comes to a close on Sunday with a matinee matchup at home against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.