A look at the Rockets' potential first-round opponents

DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 25: James Harden #13 and Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets celebrate during a timeout against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on February 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) less DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 25: James Harden #13 and Chris Paul #3 of the Houston Rockets celebrate during a timeout against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on February 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by ... more Photo: Justin Tafoya/Getty Images Photo: Justin Tafoya/Getty Images Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close A look at the Rockets' potential first-round opponents 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

Finally, some clarity. And it only took 80 and in some cases 81 games, to get it.

With the Nuggets and Thunder getting comeback wins on Monday, the Rockets can finally narrow the list of potential first-round opponents to three teams, assuming the Thunder take care of their home game on Wednesday against the Grizzlies.

After the Timberwolves and Nuggets finish their play-in game on Wednesday and the Pelicans and Spurs are through with their regular-season finale against one another, the Rockets will know whether they open the post-season at Toyota Center against the Spurs, Pelicans or Timberwolves.

The Nuggets can earn the remaining undetermined playoff spot with a win in Minneapolis, but since they hold tie-breakers, they cannot finish eighth.

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The first part is clear.

If the Pelicans lose to the Spurs on Wednesday, they are eighth and face the top-seeded Rockets.

If the Pelicans win, the Rockets would face the Spurs if Denver wins on Wednesday and the Rockets would open against Timberwolves if Minnesota wins, again assuming a Thunder win against Memphis in Oklahoma City.

Pretty clear.

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Everything gets a bit more complicated for many of the Western Conference playoff teams if the Jazz lose their remaining games, a possibility with games left against the Warriors and Trail Blazers.

That would drop the Jazz into a three-way tie with the loser of the game between the Pelicans and Spurs and the winner of the game between the Nuggets and Timberwolves.

For the Rockets, however, even that is fairly clear-cut. In the potential three-way ties, the Rockets would play the loser of Wednesday’s game between the Spurs and Pelicans.

There is, however, that one potential game to chance all of that. The Thunder game at home against the woeful Grizzlies would seem to be a tap-in. But if the Thunder loses that game, things can chance in many ways.

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For now, however, if the Rockets are so inclined, they can cast a glance past the Lakers and Kings, to start looking at the Pelicans, Spurs and Timberwolves. They swept their four games against the Wolves, went 3-1 against the Spurs and Pelicans. They would likely prefer a meeting with the team they swept, but regardless, will be happy to finally know who will be coming to town this weekend.