Overview

• The Houston Rockets clinched the Western Conference's No. 2 seed after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, securing home-court advantage in the first playoff round.
• The Western Conference playoff race is tight, with seeds three through eight separated by just two games, including a four-way tie from seeds four to eight.
• Key remaining games, such as Denver vs. Sacramento and Memphis vs. Minnesota, could significantly impact seeding, home-court advantage, and play-in tournament outcomes.
• The NBA play-in tournament, scheduled for April 15-18, will determine the seventh and eighth seeds in both conferences, with the Rockets awaiting the winner of the Western Conference's No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup.
• In contrast, the Eastern Conference playoff picture is more stable, with teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics having already clinched top seeds and divisions.