Where Do the Rockets Stand Nearly Three Weeks After the All-Star Break?

The Western Conference playoff race is only getting tighter with Houston in the running for a top-three seed.

Mar 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) reacts in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The NBA playoff picture is heating up with just over four weeks left in the regular season. The Houston Rockets, who are firmly within the race for one of the top seeds, have just 16 games to play with a 41-25 record. They're just as in it for home-court advantage as anyone, holding the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

The Rockets most recently pulled off a 107-105 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. A Kevin Durant game-winner gave them a much-needed win, improving to 4-3 in March.

Post-All-Star break has not been kind to Houston, but then again, the team has gone through rough patches before the time off. From late February to now, the Rockets are 8-5, which isn't too concerning on the surface. However, the statistics could make fans worried heading into the postseason.

Since the All-Star break, the Rockets are 15th in offensive rating, averaging 112.1 points per game (22nd). They've struggled to score at an efficient rate, while the turnover problem that has plagued them all season long has remained consisent.

Houston is also 27th in giveaway rate since Feb. 18, putting up nearly 17 turnovers per game. Without a true point guard, the team has struggled to take care of the ball. The front office actually had an opportunity to get help in that department leading up to the trade deadline, but it failed to do so. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu were names to watch, but they ultimately ended up elsewhere.

Thus, the Rockets are heading into this final stretch as one of the top teams in a crowded West, but also have the chance to drop in dramatic fashion. They hold the tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Lakers, who have the same record. They're also just a half-game up on the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, who own the fifth and sixth seeds in the conference.

Houston is ahead of the Phoenix Suns by 2.5 games, meaning one bad stretch could drop it back to the Play-In Tournament, a nightmare scenario. The Rockets going from third to seventh over the final four weeks of the regular season would squander a major opportunity. Simply put, home-court advantage matters.

Houston will come out of a two-day break to further build upon its seeding with two games against the Lakers. The Rockets face Los Angeles, Minnesota and Phoenix in five of their final 16 games.