Playoff positioning in play for Rockets, Thunder

Until recently, it didn't look like the Houston Rockets had much of a realistic hope of finishing ahead of the Denver Nuggets for the second spot in the Western Conference. A week ago it also looked unlikely that the Oklahoma City Thunder would finish anywhere but the No. 8 spot, leading to a first-round matchup with the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors. Tuesday night in Oklahoma City, the teams will square off with plenty remaining on the line.