Entering December, the new-look Rockets (8-8) are one of the feel-good stories of the NBA’s 2023-24 season. After three years at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, Houston has quickly become competitive under new head coach Ime Udoka.
Despite that better-than-expected overall record, Houston remains the only team in the league without a road win (0-7).
Some of that discrepancy is based on scheduling factors. Most of those losses were close games, and the last five featured opponents with at least one superstar player: the Los Angeles Clippers with Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Paul George; the Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis; the Golden State Warriors with Steph Curry; the Dallas Mavericks with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving; and the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokic.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, that rough schedule isn’t evening out yet. Saturday’s game is a rematch against James, Davis and the Lakers from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The previous meeting between the teams was a thriller. Alperen Sengun and James traded key plays in the final 10 seconds during what ultimately finished as a one-point Los Angeles victory.