Old Rockets’ Foe Creeps up in the Western Conference Standings

While the Houston Rockets have struggled to win games recently, other teams in the Western Conference are starting to pick up consistent wins and climb the standings rapidly. Some teams, like the Minnesota Timberwolves, are beginning to find themselves as injured players return. Minnesota is an opponent that has recently become a rival of the Rockets. However, an old rival threatens Houston's claim on the fifth seed. The Golden State Warriors are rolling after the acquisition of Jimmy Butler, and they creep closer to the Rockets with every victory.

Butler has been a high-quality addition to the Warriors' game plan. He's still a stalwart defensive player, and his offense pairs nicely with Stephen Curry's gravity and Draymond Green's IQ

Golden State's front office made a critical move to bring Butler at the trade deadline, and he's making himself at home in the Warriors' system, which focuses on movement and passing. Curry benefits from Butler's presence as much as Butler benefits from Curry's.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has another player he can trust to hold the ball and run the offense while Curry hunts for open shots on the perimeter off the ball. Butler has also been a willing cutter when he doesn't have the ball.

The Warriors have returned to the connected offensive attack that defined their run in the late 2010s and helped them win another championship in 2022.

On the other hand, the Rockets haven't played at the level of a team that held the second seed earlier this season. Houston doesn't seem connected on either side of the ball, struggling to create easy shots and failing to sustain the impactful defense it used at the start of the season.

While Golden State has increased the level of its play, the Rockets have had difficulties creating any level of success in their most recent games. Their latest skid allowed the Warriors to creep within three games of overtaking Houston for the No. 5 seed.

The Warriors hold the season tiebreaker over the Rockets, making the situation more dire for Houston.

The Rockets are currently in a three-game losing streak, but they have some hope with their next few matchups to create space from the Warriors. Houston will face the New Orleans Pelicans twice before taking on the Orlando Magic, the Phoenix Suns, and the Dallas Mavericks. The Pelicans and Mavericks are winnable games for the Rockets, as each team deals with poor performance and injury. The Suns and the Magic could prove to be difficult games for Houston,

However, the Rockets need to win against some of their next several opponents to keep their distance from the Warriors and potentially even overtake the Memphis Grizzlies, who have also been struggling lately.

Holding off the Warriors won't be easy, and climbing the standings is even more difficult. The Rockets don't have much time to prove they belong in the top five seeds in the Western Conference; Golden State is right on their heels.