NBA Power Rankings: Rockets Rise After Win vs. Thunder

The Houston Rockets are flexing their muscles after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-116 inside Toyota Center on Sunday evening.

The win marked the 15th for the Rockets in their first 21 games, placing them just 0.5 game behind the Thunder for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

The winning has also moved the Rockets up to No. 3 in NBA.com writer John Schuhmann's power rankings, which is two spots higher than last week.

"The Rockets are heading to the Emirates NBA Cup quarterfinals, having clinched West Group A with their overtime win in Minnesota on Tuesday. They’re now 12-3 since their 3-3 start to the season, picking up a huge win over Oklahoma City on Sunday. That puts them just a half-game behind the first-place Thunder in the Western Conference," Schuhmann writes. "That road success will be tested this week as the Rockets take a three-game trip through California. They’re 2-1 against the Pacific Division, with the one loss (to the Warriors without Stephen Curry) having come in overtime after they erased a 31-point deficit."

The only teams that rank ahead of the Rockets in the power rankings are the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Rockets will return to the court tomorrow night when they face off against the Sacramento Kings at 9 p.m. CT.