Rockets Creeping Up on Lakers in NBA's Western Conference Playoff Race

Houston and Los Angeles have already clinched a playoff berth, but the Rockets could snatch the fourth seed from the Lakers, securing home-court advantage.

Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The final week of the NBA's regular season is underway, which means the Houston Rockets have just four games left before the playoffs. Just under two weeks ago, the season looked lost after a historic collapse against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A 13-point overtime was eviscerated to hand Houston its eighth loss in 14 games.

But that sparked improvement within, and the hope for a deep playoff run is back amid a six-game winning streak. The Rockets have masked their weaknesses with the league's top offensive rating since March 26.

After the loss to Minnesota, Houston entrenched itself deeper in the Western Conference's sixth seed. However, the team is now 49-29, just one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lakers were in the middle of their own hot streak before disaster struck in early April. After going 16-2 from Feb. 28 to March 31, Los Angeles caught the injury bug.

On April 2, in an embarrassing 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers lost both Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) for the rest of the regular season. Their date to return in the playoffs is unclear.

With that, naturally, Los Angeles has lost its last two games, most recently to the 25-53 Dallas Mavericks. Now, LeBron James (foot) has also been ruled out for Tuesday's rematch with the Thunder, putting the Lakers at even more risk of losing their third in a row.

If the Rockets can win against the Phoenix Suns while Los Angeles loses, they'd be tied for the fourth seed in the West. The Denver Nuggets just passed the Lakers for the third seed, and they aren't showing signs of squandering that amid a nine-game winning streak. But Houston can still grab home-court advantage with six days left in the regular season.

The question then becomes whether or not the Rockets want to face the Thunder in the second round. Oklahoma City has been atop the conference all season long, but the San Antonio Spurs are just 2.5 games behind the No. 1 seed. Even though the top-six teams in the West are sealed, seeding has yet to be deterimed.

With Houston and Los Angeles trending in opposite directions, keep an eye on how the rest of the regular season pans out. The Rockets face the Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies before the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Lakers will take on the Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Suns and Utah Jazz.