Rockets begin resting up for playoffs

Here’s the Houston Chronicle reporting on the Rockets, who have begun a resting pattern as they prepare for the upcoming playoffs, which begin a week from tomorrow.

Rockets begin resting up for playoffs

The Rockets on Friday began mixing in rest days for some of their regulars, giving starting center Clint Capela the night off and making plans to have sixth man Eric Gordon sit out either Sunday in Sacramento or Monday in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

James Harden, Pat Beverley and Trevor Ariza are expected to play through the remaining games, though likely with reduced playing time.

“We want to have some dress rehearsals, we want to keep our rotation similar, but possibly less minutes,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Bucks need to play loose

Here’s the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel with an update on the Bucks, who probably should have clinched a playoff spot by now yet, through Thursday’s games, still haven’t done so:

It’s tightening up time for the Milwaukee Bucks.

That may be part of the problem in the team’s current three-game slide.

The Bucks are so close to their goal of reaching the playoffs that they aren’t playing as freely as they did while winning 14 of 17 games and vaulting into the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference race.

Now they have slipped to sixth and the danger is they could slide out of the playoffs if they can’t cure what has been ailing them in the last week.