Tonight starts a two-game set between the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers. Both games will take place at the Moda Center (aka The Rose Garden).
Houston already had one of these “two games in the same arena” thing with the Utah Jazz, and it went about how these usually do: either there’s a split or the home team sweeps (with the first game usually a blowout and the second a tough, close win). Players have too much pride to get between twice in a row by the same team when the difference is just effort. It’s only when the talent difference is vast that a team has a shot at both games.
The Blazers have Deni Avidja, who might have had a solid case before for the All-Star game, but certainly with the new rules feels like a shoe-in. He’s currently higher in fan voting than either Kevin Durant or Alperen Sengun.
Portland is on a three-game winning streak, which includes wins over the Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans. For reference, Houston is 1-3 against those teams.
Tip-off
9pm CT on January 7, 2026
How To Watch
Space City Home Network
Injury Report
Rockets
Alperen Sengun: OUT
Blazers
Kris Murray: GTD
Jrue Holiday: OUT
Jerami Grant: OUT
Matisse Thybulle: OUT
Scoot Henderson: OUT
The Line (as of this post)
Hou -5.5
Check here for updates
Looking ahead because we can
Friday night at Portland against the Trail Blazers
