Toronto Raptors vs. Houston Rockets Preview: Ninth-Seeded Rockets Looking To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

By Miguel Vasquez, Christian Post Contributor Friday, March 25, 2016

The Houston Rockets are currently situated one notch below the final eight teams to comprise the Western Conference Playoff bracket.

Yet, despite the situation, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his team is not quite ready to give up their season just yet. The Rockets will be facing the second-seeded Toronto Raptors for the second time this season on Friday, March 25th at the Toyota Center in Houston.

"The season's not over. We're in a position where, we take care of business we can still get into the playoffs," Bickerstaff said in an NBA.com report. "But we've got to take care of business. There's no more excuses."

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The first time the Rockets and the Raptors faced each other last March 7th, with the former winning the game with a final score of 113-107. In the said game, Houston had just achieved their first win in Canada since the 2006-2007 season.

It was also the end of the Raptors win streak at home, something they held on to since January. In the said game, it was guard James Harden who finished strong for the Houston Rockets, ending the night with 40 points, five rebounds and 14 assists, shooting 11 out of 20 from the field and 3 out of 7 from three-point country, through 42 minutes of playing time.

Big man Dwight Howard also made significant contributions, scoring 21 points along with 11 rebounds, shooting 9 out of 12 from the field, through 37 minutes of playing time.

The Raptors, who hold a record of 48-22, have won four of their last six games, but are coming off a loss against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, with a score of 91-79. Head coach Dwane Casey attributed his team's loss to them playing a little too soft.

"If you don't play with force you are not going to score and we had trouble scoring," he said.

The Rockets, on the other hand, hold a record of 35-37. They are currently on a three-game losing streak, with the most recent one against the Utah Jazz, with a final score of 89-87.