休斯顿火箭（40-24）将于周三东部时间晚上10点客场挑战丹佛掘金（39-26），这场对决可能令西部季后赛争夺更加激烈。休斯顿目前以半个胜场领先洛杉矶湖人和明尼苏达森林狼位居第三，而丹佛落后1.5个胜场。若掘金获胜且森林狼输球，四支球队将仅相差半个胜场。
鲍尔竞技场的这场比赛凸显了西部联盟积分榜的拥挤局面，五支球队争夺最后四个直通季后赛席位，胜场差距仅2.5场。休斯顿最近9场比赛赢6场，包括12月20日客场115-101击败丹佛，终结了对该系列赛的四连败。火箭本赛季对掘金1胜2负，两场失利均为3分之差告负。 掘金近期状态低迷，最近6场比赛输掉4场。两队本赛季交手6次，休斯顿2胜，掘金3场失利分差均少于6分。掘金希望缩小与位居第三的休斯顿的差距，目前掘金排名第四。 若掘金取胜且森林狼周三晚些时候不敌快船，将引发第三名的激烈争夺，轮空的菲尼克斯太阳也仅落后休斯顿2个胜场。休斯顿客场表现不俗，掘金主场战绩为17胜13负。 鉴于两队历史交锋胶着，预测这场比赛将非常接近。火箭队的贾巴里·史密斯 Jr. 本赛季场均22.3分加篮板，在对掘金的三场比赛中每次至少26。
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The Houston Rockets will play without star forward Kevin Durant in Game 1 of their first-round NBA playoffs series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant suffered a right knee contusion in practice on Wednesday and was ruled out less than two hours before tipoff on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena. Both teams enter the matchup dealing with key injuries.
The Denver Nuggets defeated the San Antonio Spurs 136-134 in overtime on Saturday at Ball Arena, ending the Texans' 11-game winning streak. Nikola Jokic shone with 40 points, while Victor Wembanyama tallied 34 points and 18 rebounds. It marks Denver's eighth straight win, placing them fourth in the West.
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The New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves hold 3-2 leads in their first-round series and aim to advance on Thursday. The Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets face elimination in Game 6 matchups. Odds favor the leaders across the board according to FanDuel Sportsbook.