The Houston Rockets’ 2024-25 schedule was released on Thursday, and we’ve now had a few days to break it down. The Rockets have gone from being a team that was at the bottom of the pack for three straight seasons to a team that pushed the Golden State Warriors into the final play-in spot last season.
For the 2024-25 schedule, the Rockets have some intriguing matchups throughout the season that could produce big highlights and viral moments. Let’s take a look at the five most intriguing matchups of the season.
October 26 @ San Antonio Spurs
The Rockets’ first interesting matchup will be against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. The fierce rivalry between the Rockets and Spurs had cooled in recent seasons ahead of the 2023-24 season. Both teams have been in a rebuilding phase for some time, and the matchups didn’t make as much sense until last season.
A lot changed last season. The Spurs drafted one of, if not the best, rookie in the last two decades and completely changed the trajectory of their franchise. The Rockets went from being in the basement the previous three seasons to contending for a play-in spot last season. Despite their failure, the Rockets still finished with a respectable 41-41 record.
Another aspect of this renewed rivalry is the matchup in the middle between Alperen Sengun and Victor Wembanyama. Sengun made a splash in their last meeting, scoring a career-high 45 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in the Rockets’ victory on March 5. After the game, Sengun made headlines around the NBA after his dominant performance against the future Rookie of the Year.
Unfortunately, this will be the last game of the season between the two young pivots, as Sengun suffered a serious season-ending injury in the last minute against the Sacramento Kings a few days later. It’s safe to say that Wembanyama will be more than ready for this game, given that he was outclassed in every aspect of their last game.
November 2 vs. Golden State Warriors
If you’re a Rockets fan, I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded that the Rockets haven’t beaten the Golden State Warriors since Corona was just a beer commercial. The Rockets haven’t won a game against the Warriors since February 20, 2020. That’s 13 straight losses at the hands of Stephen Curry and Golden State.
The Rockets and Warriors met in a surprise matchup for the final play-in spot last season after the Rockets went on an 11-game winning streak in March. The excitement of a potential playoff berth was short-lived, as the Rockets followed that 11-game winning streak with a five-game losing streak, including a loss to the Warriors that destroyed any chance of a playoff berth. The Rockets finally have a chance to end that five-year losing streak against the Warriors in November.
January 5 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
From day one, Ime Udoka has said he wants the Rockets to have a reputation as a tough team that doesn’t back down from anyone. The recent run-in with LeBron James showed the entire NBA that this is a different Rockets team. Udoka wasn’t the only Rocket who had run-ins with James. During the offseason, the Rockets brought in LeBron’s number one antagonist, Dillon Brooks. Brooks wasted no time in renewing his rivalry with LeBron. Brooks told the Rockets on SI that he was ready to “lock him up.”
This year’s matchup against the Lakers will not only have several storylines, but could also have playoff implications, with both teams expected to battle for the final playoff spots.
November 26 @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Much like the Warriors, the Rockets have struggled against the Minnesota Timberwolves in recent years. They have lost nine of their last ten meetings, most by more than double points. Not only have they crushed the Rockets on several occasions recently, but they have made a mockery of them along the way.
The Rockets must beat top teams like the Timberwolves to advance to the next stage.
April 13 vs. Denver Nuggets
The Rockets close out the regular season with a matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. This matchup is intriguing for a number of reasons. The matchup between Sengun and Jokic was one of the best center matchups in recent memory. Sengun has been nicknamed “baby Jokic” since he first came into the league. Sengun has spoken on several occasions about his respect for Jokic.
Sengun also said he wants to move away from the “baby Jokic” label and chart his own course. Next season, Sengun could take another step from rising star to a standout among the other All-Stars.
Another interesting aspect of this game is the timing of the game. The Rockets could be fighting for a playoff spot until the last day of the regular season, and the game against the Nuggets could decide whether they make the playoffs or watch from their couch.
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