A trip to the MLS Cup playoffs did not seem likely for the Portland Timbers after a 5-0 loss in Houston in August. Giovanni Savarese was fired the next day, and the team’s form was spiraling in the wrong direction.

But under interim coach Miles Joseph, the Timbers got their groove back. They are 5-2-2 since Joseph took over, and with a win on Saturday, they will clinch the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and a playoff spot.

Oddly enough, Portland will host the same Houston Dynamo team whose domination of the Timbers shifted the season on its axis.

There are plenty of scenarios for Portland (11-12-10, 43 points) to get into the postseason with a tie or even a loss — more than 70 by our count — but a win guarantees they will avoid the play-in, where the eight seed will face the nine seed in a one-off match for a right to play top-seeded St. Louis in the first round. A loss could see Portland fall out of the postseason altogether.

“We don’t want to play in a wild card game, but we’ll be fine,” Joseph said. “Any three-game series against any opponent in the West, we like our chances. We’re healthy now, our roster is healthy, and these guys are ready to go.

“We have so many experienced players on this roster who are playoff-ready. Our roster is playoff-built. The importance of this game and the result, and then we’ll be flying into the playoffs.”

Stalwart defender Zac McGraw, returning from a knee issue that kept him out of Portland’s 4-1 loss in Montreal Oct. 7, said players are bought in to the mindset of winning and not worrying about what happens around them on Decision Day. Every MLS match will kick off at either 3 or 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, several of which have direct implications for Portland’s playoff hopes.

“The vibe is that it’s already a playoff game,” McGraw said. “There’s a bunch of scenarios that could happen if we tie or lose, but we’re shooting for the win. We know that if we win we avoid the play-in game, which nobody really wants to get into.”

Houston is no simple opponent for the Timbers, even with home-field advantage. The Dynamo have been rolling in the second half of the season and can finish as high as No. 2 in the Western Conference with a win and some help.

The Timbers were down 4-0 at the half last time these two teams played. Needless to say, a stronger start will be important this time.

“It’s important that we’re smart, really smart with opening up against this team because they’re lethal on the counter,” Joseph said. “But they’re also really good in possession and like to drag you out of position. We’ve worked on some things along those lines over the last two weeks.”

McGraw said defending the Dynamo consistently and applying enough pressure to capitalize on mistakes will be the biggest keys to earning three points. And Saturday could be the difference between Portland getting into the postseason and making some noise as a lower seed, or heading home on Decision Day for the second consecutive year.

“They’re one of the best teams in the West with how they play, how they’ve turned their identity around within the last year,” McGraw said of Houston. “They’re a good team who have dangerous players at every position. They keep the ball, they know how to get behind you. To attack them, we’re going to use our home field as an advantage. Force them to make errors and punish them.”