The magic number for the Rockets is now three to secure the third seed/spot in the Western Conference (pending Utah’s game vs. the Pelicans on Monday night). With 18 chances to secure either three wins for Houston or three losses for Utah or a combination of the two, the Rockets are fairly locked into that third spot.
The rest of the West is not locked in at all. Seeds four through seven are separated by four games. There’s a real battle going down for the final playoff spot. And the Warriors and Spurs are battling for the top spot with the Dubs two games ahead in the loss column.