The Houston Rockets couldn’t have gotten off to a better start to the season as they entered their rematch with the Atlanta Hawks at 3-0, and one of the four teams playing that night was still undefeated. The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, and Marcus Smart on Saturday, with VanVleet the only one of the three not dealing with an injury.
We got word Sunday that both Smart and Adams would also miss Monday’s game, and before the contest SB Nation asked Ime Udoka if both players were
more game-to-game or were they possibly longer-term injuries.
From Udoka’s response, it seems Smart could be back for Wednesday’s game, but Adams could be out for at least another week. Adams missed the last few months of the 2025-26 season as the Rockets plan on taking a more cautious approach with the veteran big man this season.
The Rockets got back VanVleet, which moved Reed Sheppard to the bench after one of the best games of his young career. The Rockets handed the Hawks their first loss of the season as they controlled the game from the tip to the final buzzer.
Houston Rockets vs Atlanta Hawks
The Rockets knew the Hawks would try to come out of the gate with more purpose after the Rockets’ victory on Saturday. That made the Rockets’ start even more important as they got off to an early 7-2 lead, with Sengun making his sixth 3-pointer of the season.
After that hot start, it was a back-and-forth game as the teams traded baskets and leads to end the first quarter with the Hawks finishing the quarter strong and taking a 35-32 lead into the second quarter. The second quarter was more of the same as the Rockets briefly took the lead in the second before the Hawks took back control of the game with three baskets in a row.
The Hawks scored 31 in the second quarter and maintained their three-point lead into halftime. The Rockets finally were able to slow down the Hawks in the third quarter as the Hawks only had 10 points eight minutes into the quarter. The Rockets had their biggest lead of the game, 84-76, after a Sengun layup following a forced turnover. Rockets won the quarter 28 to 19 and took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Rockets took over the game as they have done for most of the season. The Rockets continued their improved second-half defense as they pushed the lead to 20 points after a Sheppard 3-pointer following an offensive rebound.
The Rockets cruised to a 120 to 110 victory for their second straight win over the Hawks as they close out their regular-season matchup with Atlanta. The win moves the Rockets to 4-0 on the season, their best start in over a decade.
Postgame
After the game: Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant, and Alperen Sengun spoke to the media and talked about their hot start to the season. Udoka spoke about the Rockets’ chemistry and how much more balanced the team is this season. Durant spoke about being able to sit the entire fourth quarter and also told SB Nation that his defense can have just as big an impact as his offense.
Durant also talked about Sengun’s great start to the season.
Sengun also spoke to the media and told SB Nation he arrived at training camp fresh and was on a special diet this season.
The Rockets are looking to go 5-0 Wednesday as they travel to Milwaukee to take on the new-look Bucks.
