The Houston Rockets Need a Strong Stretch

The Houston Rockets have a few games against teams with losing records. They'll look to sweep their next opponents before they begin a difficult string of games against top teams.

Dec 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half in a semifinal of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada/Pool Photo-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada/Pool Photo-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets may have been disappointed by the end of their NBA Cup run, but their performance in the tournament left no reason to be discouraged.

Houston showed flashes of its potential with consistent physical defense and a full-team approach to the offense. The Rockets have to keep those traits alive moving forward, but especially in its next stretch of games. Houston will try to be perfect against its next three opponents before they begin a difficult stretch against some of the NBA's best teams.

The Rockets will face the New Orleans Pelicans as bookend games surrounding trips to Toronto and Charlotte. Those teams are a combined 19-61 this season, and some of them are dealing with injury issues as well.

The Pelicans haven't had the services of Zion Williamson for most of the season, and they've suffered from his absence. New Orleans won't have Brandon Ingram either for an indefinite amount of time. Jose Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins are two bench contributors who will miss the game as well.

The Pelicans have the lowest scoring output in the league at just over 105 points per game. The Rockets have one of the best defensives in the league. The matchup doesn't bode well for a team with one of the NBA's worst records.

The Rockets will then fly out to Canada to take on a Raptors team that doesn't really have an identity at this point. They score slightly more points per game than Houston, but their defense doesn't contribute to winning basketball at this point.

Before Houston meets back up with New Orleans on the road, they'll try to avenge a season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets. This time will be a little different since they won't have to deal with LaMelo Ball, a player having an all-star caliber season before suffering yet another injury setback. Brandon Miller is in the middle of a strong season himself, and the two players were performing well as a tandem to begin the season.

Without Ball, the Hornets offense loses the dynamic scoring and passing ability he provides. Miller is developing as a good scorer, but he isn't yet ready to shoulder the load of an NBA offense. There are no other proven scorers on the squad, so the Rockets' defense seems set to once again have an advantage over the opponent.

If Houston doesn't find a way to take wins in each of these games, including the rematch game against New Orleans to end the stretch, they will hope they perform better to begin the next stretch of games at home.

Houston might not be able to get home for the holidays, but they'll spend plenty of time in the city after Christmas. They enter a five-game home stretch that may offer some rest for a team after a tough east swing from New Orleans to Toronto.

However, that home streak isn't a gift as they'll take on some of the most dangerous players and teams in the league.

They'll play the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Its a difficult stretch that could be used as a litmus test for how close this team seems to be at competing against the best teams in the league.

It'll be a tough run of games, but Houston can't overlook the winnable games in its immediate future.

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