Every NBA restart team’s schedule ranked
By Ethan Becker
No. 12: The Houston Rockets
Schedule Score: 0.1
The Rockets have only a barely easier schedule than the Raptors, but the margin is about as thin as it could be. In fact, the only reason that the Rockets aren’t below the Raptors is because their standing score is higher since they’re in the Western Conference. More teams out West means more points for those higher in the standings.
Houston is also helped by a slightly easier schedule, as they do have three opponents not in the current playoff picture. However, the Rockets are also the only team in the NBA bubble to face both the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers; meaning the Houston will face the top team in both conferences. What’s worse is that those games are only separated by one game, and will take place in the same calendar week.
It will also be interesting to see how Houston’s system of “avoid the big man at all cost” will hold up in the bubble. Houston’s durability during the postseason was one concern raised when they went the extreme small ball route, and now it seems like those worries could only be amplified.