February Has Highlighted Strange Rockets' Schedule

The Houston Rockets schedule in February has been one of the strangest in the NBA.

Feb 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) dunks against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are in the midst of their All-Star break. Now that the game is complete, the Rockets have another day off Monday and Tuesday before returning to work Wednesday.

The team limped into the All-Star break with a 2-7 record in their last nine games. They've dealt with injuries the last two months and that has played a major part in the Rockets recent struggles. They also have seen the level of competition increase and probably one of the strangest schedules of any team this season since the end of January.

The Rockets are in the midst of playing four sets of back-to-backs in February. From Feb. 8 until Feb. 26 every game the Rockets play will be part of a back-to-back

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To add to the strangeness of the schedule, the Rockets had a matinee back-to-back when they faced the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 8 in Dallas at 1 p.m. CT and then traveled back to Houston to host the Toronto Raptors at 2 p.m. CT.

One matinee game is rare in the NBA, but back-to-back matinee games are almost never heard of. The Rockets players mentioned how weird it was to play in those games, and it showed, especially in the first half against the Raptors.

Ime Udoka mentioned after the Rocket's loss to the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 13 how some players were sluggish and needed the All-Star break to reenergize themselves to make a push in the last 27 games of the regular season.

Even with days off between the back-to-back sets, it is still difficult for any team to adjust to playing that many back-to-backs in a row. After the Rockets' games on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, the Rockets only have three sets of back-to-backs left in the regular season.

The Rockets will be getting back Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith soon, maybe even in their first post-All-Star break game on Friday the 21st, which, of course, will help lighten the load on the entire team. However, this scheduling quirk has challenged the Rockets to navigate over the last month.

The Rockets are back in action Feb. 21 as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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