While they still own the NBA’s second-worst record, the rebuilding Houston Rockets have shown clear signs of progress in recent days. They’ve won four of their last seven games, overall, and two in a row inside their Toyota Center home versus the Celtics and Lakers.
The win over Boston was more impressive, since they’re a much better overall team and were close to full strength. The Lakers were short-handed, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis held out on night two of a road back-to-back. Yet, Los Angeles did enter with a clear incentive to win, since they’re in a close battle for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament — and a young Houston group playing only for pride got the job done.
