Rockets in Town, West Race for Playoffs Continues

We've reached the final four games of the season, and the only question is whether the Wolves can manage a .500 record. They sit at 39-39 and have the Houston Rockets coming to town tonight. The Rockets have had the Wolves' number this season, winning all three of the previous matchups.  Tonight they will be without Dwight Howard, who has a sore ankle. Patrick Beverly also remains out.

The Rockets are sitting fairly comfortably in the 4 spot in the West, two games behind the Clippers in the loss column and two ahead of the Blazers, who appear likely to be their first round opponent. They remain ahead of the offensive curve, leading the league in both three point attempts and free throw attempts.

Would be nice to get a win against the Rockets this season, but the Wolves have not been able to slow them down all year, so it will be a tough task.

Elsewhere, the Mavericks lost to San Antonio last night, leaving the 7th-9th spots in the West:

Suns 47-31
Mavs  48-32
Grizz  46-32

Tonight, Phoenix is in San Antonio, while Memphis hosts the 76ers. Fantastically, the Mavs final two games of the season are against the Suns and Grizzlies, who also play each other (on Monday).  Terrific stuff.

Meanwhile, Indiana is in Miami tonight for a game that will likely determine who gets the top seed in the East.

Today in history

1814: Napoleon exiled to Elba
1890: Ellis Island designated for immigration processing
1899: Treaty of Paris; Spain cedes Puerto Rico to U.S. 
1906: Albert Einstein introduces theory of relativity
1912: Titanic embarks from Ireland
1919: International Labor Organization is founded
1945: U.S. troops liberate Buchenwald concentration camp
1947: Jackie Robinson appears in first major league game
1951: Harry Truman fires Douglas McArthur
1961: Adolph Eichmann goes on trial in Jerusalem
1968: Lyndon Johnson signs 1968 Civil Rights Act

Today's musical birthday...I've got nothin.  However, my son got to see his favorite musician live last night at the Majestic here in Madison, so in honor of that:

I'm on my way to New York later today for Passover. I'll try to check in, but have a great weekend. Tim and Key will (we hope) be holding things down for the next few days.