Can Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. ignite the Brooklyn Nets' offense against a surging Houston Rockets squad on New Year's Day?
Whatever kind of New Year’s resolution NBA schedule-makers had in store for the Brooklyn Nets to start 2026, it’s nothing to sneeze at.
Brooklyn (10-20) playing the first game of a back-to-back, host the Houston Rockets (20-10) for a 6:00 p.m. (ET) tipoff at Barclays Center on Thursday night. The Nets, 4-3 in their last seven home games and at Washington to play the Wizards, Friday night, are +10.5 point ‘dogs (-114), in addition to +350 on the money line.
Houston (-10.5, -106), 10-8 on the road, however just 5-5 in their last 10 games , is -450 on the money line. The Rockets, however, have been a strong against the spread team as an away favorite (8-7, 53.3 %) this season.
The over/under is currently at or around 222.5, as per DraftKings Sportsbook.
Brooklyn, coming off a 123-107 over the Minnesota Timberwolves, are still buried in the bottom of the Eastern Conference to start 2026 despite going 7-4 December and showing signs of a young team finally putting it together.
The Nets also recently got Cam Thomas back from injury. He missed 20 games with a hamstring injury. Thomas scored 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbed 3 rebounds in 20 minutes in his return - vs. the Timberwolves.
Thomas’ insertion back into the Nets starting lineup, in addition to Michael Porter Jr.’s stellar play so far this season — 25.8 points per game on 49.1 percent shooting from the floor in addition to 7.5 rebounds a contest — could very well give the Nets average of 109.8 points per game a significant boost. It also might quiet the trade rumors constantly persisting the two young stars.
Brooklyn, facing a tough road ahead despite also getting solid contributions from Nic Claxton and Noah Clooney, can use any help, considering what’s to come over the next few weeks. The Nets schedule in January, which features two back-to-back situations, including consecutive road games Jan. 11-12, divisional games against the New York Knicks (Jan. 21) and the Boston Celtics (Jan. 23) and a four-game to close out the month, is not only no joke, but will likely determine whether Brooklyn is truly a fringe playoff team or an NBA draft darling all in on tanking.
But first things first as the Rockets, currently on a three-game winning streak and fourth overall in the Western Conference, arrive in Brooklyn off a 117-100 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in which star forward Kevin Durant had 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the floor, in addition to 7 assists and 4 rebounds.
The Rockets, 16-of-35 from 3-point range vs. the Cavaliers, are averaging 120.3 points per game, while going 48.9 % from the floor overall. Houston’s Durant is averaging a team-leading 25.5 points, in addition to 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
Brooklyn will be without G Egor Demin (lower back soreness) and Haywood Highsmith (right knee surgery), while Porter Jr. (illness) and Terance Mann (right hip contusion) are questionable.
For the Rockets, Steven Adams (right ankle sprain), Clint Capela (illness), Tari Eason (illness) and Alperen Sengun (left soleus strain) are all listed as questionable.
Happy New Year, Nets. Now, get ready to play your first back-to-back of 2026 tomorrow night, after taking on the Western Conference’s current No.4 seed Rockets to start one of three back-to-back situations in January.
What’s more: six of the 17 opponents on the schedule this month for the Nets are currently playoff teams. And the Nets are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference and five games from a play-in spot — making the next few weeks of importance in regards to whether Brooklyn, set to close out January with four road games out West, is a fringe postseason contender.
So, getting the Rockets at home to start the New Year will be a telling sign from the opening jump.
Fernie Ruano is a sports analyst out of Miami and contributed to this report.