Rockets Get the Job Done

Sunday night at the Toyota Center was the last time the Houston Rockets would play at home before games three and four of whatever playoff series they are involved in, whether that be the 2-7 or 3-6 matchup. 
What the 45-35 Houston Rockets delivered was a professional and encouraging performance that showed exactly how far this team has come since the James Harden trade in October. 
In the previous three, non-playoff basketball seasons, the Rockets have had crucial games, exactly like Sunday nights game against the Kings, and inexplicably crumbled to leave them on the outside looking in when the playoffs began in mid-April.
BUT NOT THIS YEAR!
James Harden has brought a winning and confident mentality to this team as a leader and as a forth quarter closer, both of which the Rockets have desperately needed in the past three years. 
The Kings never threatened the Rockets except for a brief moment in the second quarter, and the 121-100 final score reflected how dominant James Harden and the boys were over the Sacramento, soon to be Seattle based, team.

Superstars get the foul calls. Harden averages 10.2 FT/game. The most in the NBA this season.

With two games left on the road against the Suns and Kobe-less Lakers I fully expect the Rockets to win out and clinch the sixth seed to face Denver in the first round of the playoffs. 
I'll admit I'm putting on my homer hat and saying that the Rockets would win that series. With Lawson, Gallinari, and Faried all out it's not crazy to say the Rockets could win. I'm not shaking in my boots at the prospect of Harden, Parsons, and Lin going up against Corey Brewer, Wilson Chandler, and Andre Miller. 
Then with a second round matchup against a Manu-less Spurs...okay, I'm getting carried away now. I'll hold off on second round optimism until they get past the first round at least.