Rockets Hoping for Specific Playoff Opponent Entering Final Day of NBA Regular Season

Houston is locked into the fifth seed entering the NBA playoffs, but its opponent still isn't determined. The Rockets are hoping to face one team in particular.

Apr 10, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson (1) brings the ball up the court during the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Following Friday's 136-132 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Houston Rockets are locked into the Western Conference's fifth seed for the NBA playoffs. They were hoping to move up in the standings and gain home-court advantage, but the Rockets' winning streak was snapped at eight games, and they will travel to another arena to open the first round.

Houston is one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers, the fourth seed. But the Rockets lost two straight games to the Lakers back in March, handing Los Angeles the season series and the tiebreaker. Both teams could finish 52-30, but the Lakers can't fall lower than No. 4.

But that doesn't mean Houston is confirmed to face Los Angeles. The Lakers also hold the tiebreaker over the Denver Nuggets, who are one game ahead of them as the third seed. If Denver loses to the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles beats the Utah Jazz on Sunday, the Lakers would move up and the Rockets would face the Nuggets in round one.

Even though Houston is locked into No. 5, it will still be watching the final slate of regular-season games very closely. It's clear that the Rockets would rather the Lakers over the Nuggets, as any team would.

Los Angeles is barely afloat after losing Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) in a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2. They will miss the final game of the regular season and some time in the playoffs, which means the Lakers will be shorthanded in round one. They have relied on a 41-year-old LeBron James to keep them ahead in the West at 2-2 since the injuries.

The Rockets would face an offensively challenged Lakers squad if that is the case. Los Angeles is 22nd in the NBA in offensive rating over its last four games, missing its top two scorers. Dončić and Reaves are combining for 56.8 of the team's 116.2 points per game this season.

On the other end of the floor, the Lakers have been doing enough to be average over this four-game stretch, ranking 15th in defensive rating.

The Rockets would have one real worry if they end up facing them, and that's James, of course. Role players like Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura have stepped up in the absence of stars, but Houston would be heavily favored if Dončić and Reaves are out in round one.