The Hawks vs Rockets rematch arrives fast. Atlanta and Houston play again Monday, Oct. 26 at Toyota Center, just one night after the Rockets edged the Hawks 121-114 in their season opener meeting. Houston enters 3-0 and riding a three-game winning streak, while Atlanta sits at 2-1 after its first loss of the young season. The biggest question heading into the second leg of this back-to-back set: can the Hawks clean up the mistakes that cost them Sunday, or does Houston’s depth carry it to a 4-0 start?
Hawks Vs Rockets Game Information
- Date: Monday, Oct. 26
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass
- Series: Houston leads 1-0
How Did These Teams Get Here?
Houston has not lost since dropping its season debut 132-115 to the Dallas Mavericks on Oct. 11. Since then, the Rockets have reeled off three straight wins, including Sunday’s 121-114 victory in Atlanta, detailed in Total Apex’s recap of Houston’s win over the Hawks. That win pushed the Rockets to 3-0 and atop the Southwest Division, though Memphis sits just half a game back at 2-0.
Atlanta had won three in a row before Sunday’s loss, including a 128-81 rout of the Charlotte Hornets on Oct. 23 that Total Apex covered in its breakdown of the Hawks’ blowout win. The Hawks also beat the Orlando Magic 132-125 on Oct. 21, a game detailed in the site’s recap of that matchup. Atlanta sits 2-1 and tied atop the Southeast Division with Charlotte and Washington.
What Is The Injury Picture For Both Teams?
Houston center Steven Adams is out with a right leg calf strain and has a return date listed as Oct. 28, meaning he will miss Monday’s game. Guard Marcus Smart is listed as day-to-day with a left arm forearm strain, with a return date of Oct. 26, putting his availability for the rematch in question.
Atlanta is without forward Mouhamed Gueye, who is out with a left leg foot fracture and not expected back until Nov. 20. Center Henri Veesaar remains out with a right knee injury and has no return timeline before next July. Both absences leave the Hawks thinner in the frontcourt heading into a second straight game against Houston’s size.
Who Are The Expected Starters?
Houston’s lineup is expected to be built around center Alperen Sengun, who leads the team with a per-game line of 23.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists. Forward Kevin Durant leads the Rockets in scoring at 24.0 points per game, guard Fred VanVleet paces the offense with 8.0 assists per game, and Amen Thompson leads Houston on the glass at 10.3 rebounds per game. With Adams out and Smart’s status uncertain, Houston’s rotation could lean more heavily on its returning core.
Atlanta’s offense runs through forward Jalen Johnson, who leads the Hawks in points (21.7), rebounds (10.0) and assists (10.0) per game, a rare across-the-board stat line. With Gueye and Veesaar both out, Atlanta’s frontcourt depth is expected to lean on whoever starts alongside Johnson up front, though no official starting five has been confirmed.
What Is The Key Matchup To Watch?
Houston’s size on the glass against Atlanta’s ball pressure could decide this one. The Rockets average 12.7 offensive rebounds per game and have outrebounded opponents on the defensive end at 30.3 per game, with Thompson setting the pace at 10.3 boards a night. Atlanta, meanwhile, leads the way defensively with 11.7 steals per game compared to Houston’s 9.3, a gap that could matter if the Hawks look to force turnovers and push pace after Sunday’s loss.
Atlanta also holds a scoring edge on paper, averaging 124.7 points per game to Houston’s 121.0, and the Hawks shoot 59.6% on two-point attempts compared to Houston’s 55.3%. But Houston has been more efficient from the field overall, converting 50.2% of its shots compared to Atlanta’s 48.0%, and the Rockets have made more of their free throws at an 84.8% clip against Atlanta’s 74.7%. How Johnson and Sengun match up in the paint, and whether Atlanta’s perimeter pressure can offset Houston’s rebounding edge, will go a long way toward deciding Monday’s result.
What To Watch
Houston can become the first team in the league to reach 4-0 with a win, while Atlanta looks to bounce back immediately after a loss that snapped a three-game win streak. Both teams sit atop their respective divisions, with Houston a half-game ahead of Memphis in the Southwest and Atlanta tied with Charlotte and Washington in the Southeast. A Hawks win would even the season series at 1-1, while a Rockets victory would give Houston a season sweep through the early slate and keep its unbeaten start intact.
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