Rockets seek elusive road win after five straight losses. Can they overcome fatigue and Pistons' star power tonight?
This upcoming contest against the Detroit Pistons marks the second and final meeting between these teams this season. Assuming we don’t see them competing in the NBA Finals, that is.
The Rockets are hoping to get their first road win since January 1st, as discussed on Roundtable. They dropped to 11-13 on the road after losing a heartbreaking 122-128 overtime game against the Sixers. They’re lucky to remain in the 4th seed, as the Lakers and Timberwolves both lost last night as well. Houston controls their own destiny going into Detroit, a win keeping them in 4th place. Another loss could put them below Phoenix, with the Suns visiting Atlanta tonight.
Entering this matchup on the second night of back to back games might be a problem for the Rockets, as they’re only 1-3 in this situation. The only win came just a week ago. A tough battle against the Timberwolves resulted in a victory the day after getting crushed by OKC last Thursday. They hope to have a similar turnaround in Detroit this evening.
In the first matchup with the Pistons, way back on October 24th, there wasn’t as much to look forward to in terms of expectations. It was expected to be a good game, no doubt, but with the winless Rockets facing the winless Pistons, we just didn’t know much about either team yet. Granted, they were both only 0-1.
It was more intriguing to see how Cade Cunningham and the Pistons would build on their 30 win improvement from the 2024 season to the 2025 season. How would the loss of guys like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley impact the Pistons, and would Duncan Robinson be able to fill that void?
On the Rockets side, it was obviously about how KD would look on the team. To nobody’s surprise, it was a seamless fit. Despite not getting a win until the third game of the season, Durant still showed why Houston was so eager to trade for him. Scoring a clutch 37 points in the eventual loss a week before Halloween.
Now, just about three months later, both teams have a better understanding of where they rank after significant changes in the offseason. Cade is an All-Star starter with his team comfortably at the top of the conference, and Jalen Duren will likely join him in the All-Star Game. The Rockets are playing well, but clinging onto home court advantage in the playoffs, trying to find a way to win on the road.
Houston might catch a break though, as CBS is reporting that Cade Cunningham is questionable to play in this matchup. They still managed to dismantle the Pelicans without their superstar, but obviously that was against a much worse team. Regardless of who steps on the court tonight, the Rockets need to lock in and try to pick up a win away from home after dropping five straight.