Rockets to Take on Much-Improved Charlotte Hornets

We could learn a lot from Houston’s impending season-starting bout with Charlotte.

Jan 26, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) moves against Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images / Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

Tuesday night kicked off the NBA’s 2024-25 regular season with a bang, with big-market titans in the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers coming away with wins.

Tonight, the Houston Rockets will open up their season against the Charlotte Hornets, a team it shouldn’t take lightly.

The two team’s have come from the same class, of sorts.

Both kicked off their rebuilds just a year apart, with the Hornets drafting their crown jewel in the 2020 draft, and Houston kickstarting its string of high-profile draftees in 2021.

Both have hovered just spots away from each other at the draft for years, and are now both ready to roll out much more talented rosters than a few seasons ago.

Charlotte hasn’t had the luxury to add talented free agents like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks. But it has done its fair share of drafting talents in the NBA Draft.

LaMelo Ball, the team’s No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft, has played like a star in his high points. Career averages of 20.0 points, 7.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game speak to that, even with a stacking injury history. 

Brandon Miller, the team’s second overall pick in 2023 — and one widely seen as a misfire given Scoot Henderson still being on the board — is one of the more promising up-and-coming wings in the entire NBA. As a rookie, he managed over 17 points on 44% shooting, already an impressive number, not even accounting for his budding all-around game.

The rest of the roster has been somewhat patch-worked together via trades, signings and more, but offers a competitive bunch.

While one game won’t be the end all, be all for Houston, it’s 2024-25 could certainly offer plenty of information about just how competitive this group will be.

The Rockets and Hornets tip off at 7 p.m. The team will roll with it’s same five starters from last season: Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.

---

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.