The young and rebuilding Houston Rockets have remained in or near the league’s basement for most of this season, which has led many fans to fixate on the race for 2023 NBA draft positioning. In most situations, the optimal result from an odds perspective is to lose.
But Tuesday’s home matchup versus Brooklyn could bring some draft benefits to the Rockets, regardless of the result. Without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the new-look Nets are only 2.5 games ahead of Miami for the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, which is the final spot that automatically qualifies for the playoffs without having to go through the play-in tournament.
