The Rockets (34-20) moved into the third spot in the West following Thursday's victory at Charlotte, coupled with Denver's loss to the Clippers. Among Western Conference teams, only the second-seeded Spurs (11-3, .786) have performed better than Houston's .688 winning percentage since January 16, with one of those three losses coming against the Rockets.
Despite their rise, Houston remains 4.5 games behind San Antonio for the No. 2 spot, with the Nuggets, Lakers, and Timberwolves all within striking distance. The Rockets will look to build on their momentum when they face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.