With a combined average winning percentage of 73.3, it’s hard to fault just about every NBA analyst for believing the Western Conference Finals will come down to Los Angeles versus Los Angeles. The Houston Rockets, while certainly having the personnel to separate themselves in the West, haven’t quite done so yet.
Holding onto the sixth seed as the season officially resumes later this month, the Rockets have made it clear they’re focused on a deep playoff run on the shoulders of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Houston will have eight games to move further up in the standings — a decision which might just come down to matchups since homecourt advantage is no longer a factor this season.