The Houston Rockets are coming off a win against the Los Angeles Clippers, 117-106. This victory ended the team’s longest losing streak of the season at two, just in time for their showdown with the Golden State Warriors.

The Rockets are currently half-game behind the rising Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference with a record of 16-8. They will be one of four teams playing this evening as the NBA Cup quarterfinals conclude.

The Rockets welcome their longtime rival to town for their second matchup in the last week and third of the season. On Dec. 5, Houston lost another heartbreaking game against the Warriors in Golden State, even though Steph Curry and Draymond Green were out due to injury.

Even though it is a long season and only December, tonight’s game is one of the most important games the Rockets will have this season. Here are three reasons why:

The Western Conference is known for being highly competitive. As we approach tonight’s games, there are 12 teams within seven games of one another. Every game, especially those within the Western Conference, is crucial. One key reason for this importance is the potential for tiebreaker scenarios.

The Rockets enter tonight’s game against the Warriors already trailing 2-0 in their season series. In an unusual situation, the Rockets will face a non-divisional opponent five times this season due to an additional matchup against the Warriors in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

There is a higher-than-usual chance that the Rockets could finish tied with a team like the Warriors. The first tiebreaker will be the head-to-head matchup. If Houston loses tonight, they will lose the season series and must finish ahead of the Warriors in the standings.

In its second season, the Emirates NBA Cup for the most part been a huge success. The goal for the NBA when implementing the tournament was to bring more excitement to games in December.

From all accounts the ratings have increased during NBA Cup games and there is a lot more buzz surrounding these games compared to a normal regular. The Rockets came close last season to making the tournament before falling short.

While winning the NBA Cup is not equivalent to winning a playoff series, it dramatically boosts the Rockets’ reputation within the league. Although a strong reputation doesn’t guarantee wins, it can be advantageous in terms of fan support and, more importantly, attracting free agents.

The elephant in the room when it comes to the Rockets and Warriors is the 15-game losing streak. It is well documented that the Rockets have not won a game against the Warriors since February of 2020.

Even though it has been called a rivarly it has been one sided as the Warriors have dominated the Rockets for the last several seasons. Only one player on the Rockets have ever defeated the Warriors as a Rockets and that is Jeff Green in his first stint with the team.

It doesn’t matter if the Warriors are at full strength or missing half their team; the Warriors have found a way to come out on top for the last four-plus years. A Rockets win would not only keep them alive in the season series but also advance them to the next round and finally help them slay the dragon known as the Golden State Warriors.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.