{"id":186776,"date":"2026-04-05T11:35:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T15:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=186776"},"modified":"2026-04-05T11:35:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T15:35:18","slug":"rockets-fans-hoping-for-a-hollywood-ending-playoff-matchup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/05\/rockets-fans-hoping-for-a-hollywood-ending-playoff-matchup\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockets Fans Hoping For A Hollywood Ending Playoff Matchup"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025-26 regular season is winding to a close, but Houston Rockets fans have been getting wound up all season long. Before the preseason injury to their starting point guard, the Rockets had looked like possible contenders. There have been ups and downs since then, including from one player who\u2019s been on a recent return to form<\/a>. With the regular season is almost complete, it\u2019s time to discuss the Rockets\u2019 potential playoff matchups.<\/p>\n

Rockets Fans Hoping For A Hollywood Ending Playoff Matchup<\/h2>\n

As of Easter Sunday, the Rockets have risen again (one spot) to the fifth seed in the Western Conference at 47-29. They\u2019re only a game and a half back of the Denver Nuggets in fourth, and just two games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in sixth.<\/p>\n

The Rockets still actually have a game to play against the Timberwolves. It will be their second-to-last game of the season and is one of two standouts in Houston’s remaining schedule<\/a>. Even so, the biggest factor in the Rockets’ opening-round playoff matchup is entirely out of their control.<\/p>\n

The Nuggets are currently tied in the win column with the Los Angeles Lakers at 50. Right now, the Lakers are half a game ahead with 27 losses instead of 28. It’s quite likely that the Rockets will stay put as the fifth seed. Whether the Lakers or Nuggets face them in the first round is yet to be determined.<\/p>\n

Of course, it is possible the Rockets fall to the sixth seed or rise to fourth themselves. However, even in those cases, they would be playing the third or fifth seed, respectively. And those teams would almost certainly be either the Lakers or the Nuggets. The playoff seeding battle between those teams is something Rockets fans will be paying close attention to.<\/p>\n

The Hollywood Ending For Rockets Fans<\/h3>\n

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The Rockets will be hoping for one outcome over the other as well. Unfortunately, Lakers star Luka Doncic<\/a> had his season recently foreclosed upon by a hamstring injury. In a theoretically awards-disqualifying<\/a> 64 games, Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 61.6% true shooting in 2025-26. With him, the Lakers were already a shanty town of misfit players kept functional by a diligent, do-it-all Mayor in LeBron James<\/a>. But at least Doncic gave them an adopted rockstar scoring option to rally behind. The Lakers are 7-6 without Doncic this season.<\/p>\n

Austin Reaves<\/a>\u00a0is also out with a Grade 2 oblique strain, meaning the Lakers’ starting backcourt may miss the first round of the playoffs, putting most of the pressure on James. The 41-year-old LeBron already holds the defense together while averaging 20.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 59.1% true shooting. Asking him to do more offensively does not sound promising.<\/p>\n

The Art House Cautionary Tale<\/h3>\n

So a Lakers first-round playoff matchup is what the Rockets would undoubtedly prefer—especially since the alternative is Nikola Jokic<\/a>‘s Nuggets. The Rockets are 1-3 against the Nuggets<\/a> this season. The lone Rockets win<\/a> came against a filleted Nuggets squad missing its entire defensive backbone in Aaron Gordon<\/a>, Christian Braun<\/a>, and Peyton Watson<\/a>. Most recently, the Rockets lost in a blowout<\/a>. The best game was an OT clash in December<\/a>, but Jokic’s 39, 15, and 10 prevailed over Alperen Sengun<\/a>‘s 33, 10, and 10.<\/p>\n