Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points and nine rebounds in his return Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing 22 games with a broken left hand.

The Houston Rockets, the No. 5 team in the West, open a three-game homestand at Toyota Center against the Milwaukee Bucks, the No. 5 team in the East.

Giannis Antetokounmpo said he believes that plays like the one Amen Thompson made on him at the end of Tuesday night's matchup are simply part of the game. "At the end of the day like you don't wanna to have a league that's soft,

Houston has plenty of impressive athletes on its roster. Without VanVleet, the team still lacks a sufficient organizer. Head coach Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets and Fred VanVleet #5 talk during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on April 07,

Friday's national TV look between Minnesota and Houston features two stout (if inconsistent) playoff hopefuls out West.

Jalen Green scored 35 points, Alperen Sengun added 24 points and 13 rebounds and the Houston Rockets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-115.

Victor Wembanyama was recently diagnosed with a blood clot in his right shoulder, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Houston's drop in the standings is reflected in NBA.com's latest power rankings, written by John Schuhmann. The team was once in the top tier of the league but is barely making the top 10 at this point, ranking ninth. The Rockets dropped one spot from last week, as the Indiana Pacers have jumped multiple teams from 11th to sixth.