The NBA's Western Conference has always been a blood bath of sorts, as the plethora of teams loaded with talent take turns bludgeoning each other until the 82 game schedule comes to an end. In this particular season, where 66 games is the forte, the circumstances haven't changed. From the 3rd place Los Angeles Clippers to the 11th place Utah Jazz, the separation is only 5 games in the standings.
So where do the Houston Rockets fit in? Currently, they sit in seventh place after dropping two in a row to the Jazz and Denver Nuggets and are in the discussion of possible personnel movement. Could Kevin Martin be traded? Could Pau Gasol still be a realistic possibility? What about making a play for Dwight Howard?
Kevin McHale and Daryl Morey have to try and win now while planning for the future. Making the playoffs could give a big boost of confidence to the fans and the young players on the team, but is making a run this season worth sacrificing personnel? The trade deadline is less than two weeks away, so we will all find out soon enough.
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