Rockets Projected to Face Nuggets in First Round of Playoffs

The Houston Rockets enter Sunday with the NBA's seventh-best winning percentage, even though it surely doesn't feel like it, at times. The Rockets also hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference as of this writing.

If the playoffs were to start today, Houston would face off against the Denver Nuggets, who own the fifth seed in the Western Conference, with an identical 39 wins, in addition to two more losses than the Rockets.

Houston has 20 more games to go before the postseason starts in April, so there's still a good amount of time to rise in the standings (and drop, as well). Seeding can be the determining factor for winning the title.

The four vs. five matchup figures to be one of the toughest paths in the West, because it guarantees a match with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. Although they, too could drop, as they're now just 2.5 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the top overall seed in the Western Conference.

But even though there is still five weeks of action remaining in the regular season, oddsmakers are calling it now. To no surprise, as they don't typically waste time making predictions.

Case in point, Kalshi Sports, who put in their projections for playoff matchups. We'll focus on the Western Conference, for the sake of the Rockets.

Kalshi has the Oklahoma City Thunder facing the LA Clippers, San Antonio Spurs facing the Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves facing the Los Angeles Lakers and the Rockets squaring off against the Denver Nuggets.

These are mostly the current matchups, based on the current records and seedings. There aren't really any surprises here, outside of the Thunder vs. Clippers matchup, which would mean the Clippers would have success in the play-in tournament.

As it pertains to the Rockets vs. Nuggets matchup, that would be a tough matchup for both sides, which would make for great basketball for fans. The Rockets have faced the Nuggets three times already this season and have a fourth and final regular season matchup against them this upcoming Wednesday.

Houston has gone 1-2 against Denver this season, with things getting rather testy (or chippy) when the two teams last played. If you'll recall, Kevin Durant was barking at Bruce Brown essentially all night and things got rather personal.

Brown stated that things were said that shouldn't have been, with Durant agreeing, noting that he indeed crossed the line. Houston won that game.

Just five days earlier, the two teams faced each other once more, albeit there was a much different result, as the Rockets lost in overtime, albeit officiating down the stretch was a big determinant. Houston held a 117-116 lead with two seconds remaining and the officiating crew called a foul on Amen Thompson, which sent Tim Hardaway Jr. to the line and ultimately sent the game to overtime.

One thing to note, as it pertains to this matchup, is Jamal Murray's injury prognosis, as he left Denver's game Saturday with an ankle injury. Denver without Murray is much more formidable.