With six straight wins and an 8-1 record in March, the Rockets are the hottest team in the NBA these days. That surge has put Houston back in the race for the Western Conference play-in tournament and a potential berth in the 2024 playoffs.

The Rockets entered this month at 5-24 on the road, but even that seems to have turned around — as evidenced by their five consecutive road victories during this 8-1 sprint.

Now, starting Thursday, Houston returns to Toyota Center in hopes of building upon their impressive 23-11 mark at home. It should be manageable, as all three opponents on this homestand currently have losing records: the Chicago Bulls (34-35) on Thursday, the Utah Jazz (29-39) on Saturday, and the Portland Trail Blazers (19-49) on Monday.

Houston’s lengthy injury report lists Steven Adams (right knee PCL surgery), Tari Eason (left tibia surgery), Alperen Sengun (right ankle sprain), and Cam Whitmore (right knee sprain) as out. Nate Hinton and Jermaine Samuels Jr. are in the NBA G League.

The Bulls are listing Patrick Williams (left midfoot surgery), Lonzo Ball (left knee surgery), Zach LaVine (right midfoot surgery), and Julian Phillips (right foot sprain) as out for Thursday. Coby White (right hip strain) and Alex Caruso (left ankle sprain) are questionable.

Henri Drell, Andrew Funk, and Adama Sanogo are all away from the team while spending time with Chicago’s G League affiliate.