The Houston Rockets current five game losing streak has definitely cost them in terms of playoff positioning and in the Southwest Division, where everything is incredibly close. Even so, the team is only 5.5 games back of the San Antonio Spurs in a division that also includes playoff hopefuls like the Memphis Grizzles and the defending NBA Champs in the Dallas Mavericks
Overall in the Western Conference, you can see below that the Rockets would make the playoffs if the NBA season ended today. But the surging Minnesota Timberwolves are within range of knocking them off and a win tonight would make a big difference.