The Rockets Must Take Advantage of Their Home Heavy Schedule to Finish the Season

The NBA season is entering its final month of the regular season as teams continue to jockey for position in the standings. Some teams are fighting just to get into the play-in and a chance to make the playoffs, while others, like the Houston Rockets, are trying to maintain their spot in the top four for home-court advantage in the first round.

The Rockets are currently the third seed in the Western Conference, sitting at 38-22 after their win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. That means the Rockets have 22 games left in the 2025-26 season as they are currently on pace to win more than the 52 games they won last season.

The Western Conference, as in most seasons, has been competitive all season, especially among the third through seventh seeds. The top top teams, the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, have been the first and second seeds for most of the season, but after that, it has been a back-and-forth through the first sixty games.

That, of course, makes the final stretch run of the regular season extremly important as teams fight to start their playoffs on their home court. The Rockets, however, do have an advantage in the finishing schedule.

The Rockets Have a Favorable Schedule to End the Season

Feb 28, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

As I mentioned in my last article, the two teams directly behind the Rockets in the standings have two of the top three hardest schedules to finish the season. Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets rank first and third when it comes ot strenght of schedule.

The Rockets, on the other hand, have the 19th toughest schedule, or to look at it another way, the 11th easiest schedule to finish the season. That is not the only advantage the Rockets have in the final 22 games.

The Rockets are tied for the fewest home games played so far this season. The Rockets and Spurs have played only 27 games, so the Rockets will finish the season with 14 home games out of their 22 remaining games.

Of course, just playing at home doesn't guarantee wins; we saw last season that the Rockets' homecourt advantage wasn't an advantage in their first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors, but it does make a difference.

When an NBA team plays a road game, they have to deal with travel, not sleeping in their normal bed, practicing on an unfamiliar court, and, of course, the road crowd, which can sometimes make a difference during the game.

It especially becomes a big deal to travel late in the season. After traveling for several months, it can take a toll on any player, and that is why finishing the season with more home games than road games can make a big difference.

Couple that with the Rockets having one of the best home records in the NBA at 20-7, and the Rockets have a good chance to gain some separation in the standings as the regular season comes to a conclusion in April.

The Rockets' next game is Thursday as they host the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center. The Rockets will be hosting a Happy Hour on Thursday evening to get everyone ready for the game.

Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the Rockets’ 6:30 p.m. matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, March 5, and take advantage of a pregame happy hour from 5:30 p.m. until tipoff. During that time, fans can enjoy 50% off domestic beer, soda, popcorn, and hot dogs.