Watch out, Golden State and Los Angeles. The Rockets are ascending and they could knock either the Warriors or Lakers out of the Western Conference play-in tournament.
On Tuesday, Houston extended its win streak to six games with a 137-114 victory over the Wizards.
Shooting guard Jalen Green led the way with a season-high 42 points while rookie Amen Thompson chipped in with 25 points on an extremely efficient 10-of-12 shooting performance.
The Rockets (33-35, 11th in Western Conference) are 2.5 games behind the Warriors for 10th in the West and the final spot in the play-in tournament. They’re 3.5 games behind the Lakers for ninth.
All three have manageable schedules over their final 13-to-14 games. As of Tuesday evening, Golden State had the fourth-easiest remaining schedule, while Houston (12th hardest) and Los Angeles (19th hardest) ranked closer to the middle of the pack in strength of schedule.
Over their next three games, the Rockets play the Bulls, Jazz and Trail Blazers — all teams currently below .500 — giving them a solid chance of extending their streak.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Houston’s recent play is that the last four wins have come without center Alperen Sengun, arguably Houston’s best player.
He sustained a Grade 3 sprained ankle in a 112-104 road win over the Kings on March 10.
Green, in his third NBA season, has stepped up during the six-game stretch. He’s averaging 27.8 points per game while shooting 50.9 percent, including 44.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Houston’s late-season surge has added intrigue to the play-in tournament. The Warriors’ and Lakers’ spots appeared safe a couple of weeks ago, but the surging Rockets are playing well enough that if either hits a dry spell, they could be sent home far sooner than anyone expected.
