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(Sports Network) - The Houston Rockets shoot for their 14th straight victory over the playoff-hopeful Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at the Ford Center.

The Thunder franchise hasn't beaten Houston since they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics back in the 2005-06 season, but it's the Rockets that are the desperate team tonight.

Houston is five games behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with just 13 to play. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, has been the NBA's most improved team and is more than likely to reach the postseason for the first time since moving from Seattle.

The Thunder have bounced back from a 59-loss season last year to compile an impressive 42-27 mark so far and are currently deadlocked with San Antonio for the sixth seed in the West.

The Rockets' playoff hopes took another blow in their last outing on Monday, when Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich combined to score 13 straight points for Chicago down the stretch and the Bulls held off a late Houston charge to capture a 98-88 victory at the United Center.

Luis Scola posted 22 points and 10 rebounds for Houston, which has dropped two of three to follow a four-game win streak.

"We didn't come out after halftime really good," Scola said. "[The Bulls] hit a lot of shots and got ahead, and it became more difficult for us."

Trevor Ariza recorded 18 points, nine boards, five assists and three steals for Houston, while Kevin Martin scored 19 points. Aaron Brooks struggled mightily to a 3-of-17 showing from the floor to end with nine points as the Rockets collectively shot 33.7 percent from the field.

The Thunder have also scuffled a bit recently and lost their second straight game Monday against the Spurs. George Hill scored a career-high 27 points in that one as San Antonio held off Oklahoma City, 99-96, despite 45 points from Thunder forward Kevin Durant.

Durant, who shot 15-of-24 from the field and missed just one of his 15 foul shots, tied a season-high in points and was two shy of a career best. He also had eight rebounds, but the Thunder lost for the third time in four tries after a five-game winning streak. They were coming off a 20-point loss at Indiana on Sunday.

"One thing you have to realize in this league, elite teams lose 20 to 25 times a year," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "We're working our way to becoming an elite team, a team that's going to battle every night. This is part of it."

Jeff Green had 16 points, Russell Westbrook 12 and Serge Ibaka 10 for the Thunder in the loss.