Rockets coach Ime Udoka "has established a culture of toughness" that has hoisted Houston back toward the top of the Western Conference, trailing only the Thunder.

But a semifinal win and NBA Cup finals appearance comes at a price. They'd play the Milwaukee Bucks or Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, Dec. 17 and extend their stay in Las Vegas for three more days. The NBA Cup finals game itself not counting towards the standings also deflates some of the excitement, as it'd be an 83rd game for both squads.

After a win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Oklahoma City Thunder will face another Western Conference foe in the NBA Cup Semifinals on Saturday in Las Vegas.