League Pass: A Must-See Matchup - Houston Rockets Take on Phoenix Suns at 8 ET

The race for playoff positioning in the Western Conference is heating up, with the Rockets currently in fifth place, just two games behind the second-seeded Nuggets. With the Lakers and Grizzlies also vying for the coveted second seed, the competition is fierce. The Rockets must maintain focus and precision as they have little room for error in their remaining games.

2. Phoenix’s road woes: The Suns have struggled away from PHX Arena with a 12-22 road record. They are wrapping up a grueling four-game road swing comprised of four prospective playoff teams in the Nuggets, Mavericks, Grizzlies, and now the Rockets. They entered March with the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the league, and this road trip certainly supports that metric.

3. Durant leading the charge: Kevin Durant has been playing at an extremely high level in his last 15 games. He is averaging 27.0 points on 53.6% shooting from the floor. That PPG figure ranks eighth in the NBA over that span.

4. Sharp-shooting Suns: The Suns have the fourth-best 3-point percentage in the league in March at 40.6%. That will be put to the test Wednesday against a Rockets team that ranks seventh in opponent 3-point percentage.

5. Jabari Smith stepping in: Amen Thompson is sidelined with an ankle injury, leading to an increased role for Smith. In Monday’s start against the Magic, Smith posted 20 points and seven rebounds over 32 minutes. He will be called upon to be a bigger contributor in the coming weeks while Thompson is on the mend.