Basketball is weird right now. If you're just looking at the box scores, you might think the Houston Rockets are just another mid-tier team floating around the .600 mark. But honestly, if you've actually been watching the games lately—especially that absolute dogfight against the Timberwolves last night—you’ve seen something different.
The Rockets just pulled off a 110-105 win over Minnesota. It wasn't pretty. In fact, for a while there in the fourth quarter, it looked like they were going to choke it away. But when you have Kevin Durant on your roster, the math changes.
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People forget how much the KD trade changed the DNA of this city. We aren't talking about "next year" anymore. We're talking about right now.
NBA Scores Houston Rockets: The Numbers Behind the Chaos
Let's talk about that Timberwolves game because it tells the whole story of the 2025-26 season. Kevin Durant went off for 39 points. He was hitting shots that didn't even make sense—fading away, hand in his face, 30 feet out. It didn't matter. He was 6-of-8 from deep. But the weird part? The Rockets almost lost because they couldn't hit a free throw to save their lives.
They went 20-of-34 from the stripe. That’s ugly.
If you’re checking NBA scores Houston Rockets fans often see these Jekyll and Hyde performances. One night they look like world-beaters, and the next, they’re getting blown out by the Thunder (91-111). It's a rollercoaster.
Alperen Sengun is basically the heart of the "weirdness" that analysts like to talk about. Against Minnesota, he put up 25 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out. He’s a center who plays like a point guard, and when he’s on the floor with Steven Adams or even Clint Capela, the Rockets play this heavy, bruising style that most teams in 2026 just aren't built to handle.
The Western Conference Logjam
The West is a nightmare. Period.
As of mid-January 2026, the Rockets are sitting at 24-15. That puts them right in the thick of it, battling the Lakers and Suns for those middle seeds. The Thunder are out in front acting like they own the place, but Houston is lurking.
Look at the standings:
- Oklahoma City Thunder: 35-7
- San Antonio Spurs: 28-13
- Denver Nuggets: 28-13
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 27-15
- Houston Rockets: 24-15
- Los Angeles Lakers: 24-15
It’s tight. One bad week and you’re in the Play-In tournament. One good week and you’re fighting for home-court advantage.
Why the Rockets’ Identity is Splitting Opinions
There is a huge divide in how people see this team. Some folks look at the roster and see a "Frankenstein" build. You’ve got the old-school legend in KD, the bruising veteran presence of Steven Adams, and then the hyper-athletic kids like Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.
Reed Sheppard is the X-factor.
In that Minnesota win, he only played 19 minutes, but he scored 14 points and hit four triples. He changes the spacing the second he steps on the court. Without him, teams just collapse on KD and Sengun. With him? You have to pick your poison.
Ime Udoka is clearly trying to find a balance between the "double big" lineups and the small-ball units that can actually run. It doesn't always work. The loss to Portland (105-111) a week ago showed the floor of this team. They got outrun. They looked slow.
But then they turn around and beat a physical Wolves team.
The Trade Deadline Looming
We are officially in the "rumor mill" part of the season.
There’s a lot of talk about whether the Rockets will move some of their depth for one more piece. Names like Dorian Finney-Smith are always in the air. Honestly, the Rockets have so many draft picks and young assets that they could probably go out and get almost anyone if they really wanted to.
But do they?
If you mess with the chemistry now, you might ruin what’s working. The synergy between KD and Sengun is real. They have this weird high-low game where KD finds Sengun in the post, and if the double-team comes, the ball is back in KD's hands before the defense can breathe.
Practical Takeaways for Rockets Fans
If you're following the NBA scores Houston Rockets updates every night, don't panic when they drop a random game to a team like the Trail Blazers. This team is built for the playoffs, not for a perfect 82-game record.
Here is what you actually need to watch for:
- Free Throw Percentage: It's their Achilles' heel. If they shoot under 70%, they usually lose close games.
- The Reed Sheppard Minutes: Watch how many minutes he gets alongside KD. That’s the "death lineup" for Houston.
- Home Court Advantage: The Rockets are 13-3 at the Toyota Center. They are a completely different animal in Houston.
- Sengun’s Foul Trouble: When he goes out early, the offense tends to stall and becomes "KD-iso" ball, which is talented but predictable.
The road ahead isn't easy. They’ve got a tough stretch coming up, and every game in the West feels like a playoff preview. But for the first time in a long time, the Rockets aren't just a "spooky" young team. They are a problem.
Keep an eye on the defensive rotations. Jabari Smith Jr. had three blocks last night and played 38 minutes of exhausting defense. If he can keep that up while KD carries the scoring load, this team is a dark horse for the Western Conference Finals.
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The most important thing to do now is track the injury report for the next road trip. This team’s depth is its greatest strength, but only if they stay healthy. If Steven Adams or Clint Capela miss time, the interior defense takes a massive hit that Sengun can't always cover alone. Watch the box scores closely—not just for the final score, but for the rebounding margins. That's where the Rockets win their games.