18. Houston Rockets
One of the hottest teams down the stretch, it's a shame that the Houston Rockets couldn't figure things out before it became too late. Even though there's a small chance that the Rockets could end up overtaking the Golden State Warriors for the 10th spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, I can't imagine that even if they do qualify for it, they're going to make much noise.
This is a team that remains a big veteran piece away from being a true player in the Western Conference that they thought they were going to be heading into the season. Alperen Sengun is one of the best underrated power forwards in the league, and he looks like he continue evolving into a star in the next couple of seasons.
While Jalen Green had a difficult start to the season, he's certainly played amazingly down the stretch. If his performance in the last 15 games is something that is going to stick, the Rockets could be building some real momentum heading into next season.