Adam Spolane

The Rockets finished their preseason schedule with a 129-107 win over the Spurs to go 3-1 in their exhibition slate before real games start on Wednesday.

Fred VanVleet’s job as the Rockets starting point guard is safe, but he averaged 36.8 minutes per game last season, sixth most in the NBA, and eclipsed the 40-minute mark in 19 games, matching a career-high.

Reed Sheppard was drafted third overall in June’s draft in large part because he was seen as an elite shooter, and Udoka said the Hornets were prepared to take that away when the 20-year old stepped on the floor.

Dillon Brooks played with Zach Edey on the Canadian National Team during the 2023 FIBA World Cup when Edey was in college. Brooks was impressed by what Edey had done in three seasons at Purdue, but his admiration grew after playing with him.

The Rockets started the 2024-25 season by going 1-1 in home games against Charlotte and Memphis and then splitting a pair in San Antonio. Here are four observations from what we’ve seen thus far from a team trying to end a four-year playoff drought.

Expectations were high this season for Alperen Sengun after flirting with an All-Star bid and finishing second in Most Improved Player voting in 2024, but the results have fallen short through six games.

In a matchup the Rockets felt was favorable, Alperen Sengun played his best game of the season on Monday, finishing with 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting and 14 rebounds in leading the Rockets to a 109-97 win over the New York Knicks

In order to win a third straight game, the Rockets will have to put together another full 48-minute performance when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.

Rockets guard Fred VanVleet is day-to-day with left hamstring soreness, Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said before Monday’s game against the Washington Wizards.

Alperen Sengun scored 14 points on 7-of-14 shooting through the game’s first three quarters, but when Kyle Kuzma’s finger roll with 7:26 left to play whittled the Rockets 16-point lead down to six, Sengun took over.