As the Rockets ran through a series of games against potential first-round opponents, as they will again Sunday when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Toyota Center, they said they could not look at those regular-season games and postseason previews.
The standings were too unpredictable, the teams too tightly bunched. They still are with the list of teams that could be coming to town when the playoffs begin April 15 or 16.
Going into Wednesday's games, just three games separate fourth-place Utah from seventh-place Memphis. For the Rockets, each of the potential first-round opponents — the Jazz, Clippers, Thunder and Grizzlies – offer very different challenges.