Hawks vs Rockets: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineups For Tonight's Preseason Matchup

The Hawks will close out preseason action tonight against the Houston Rockets, who got Atlanta's preseason started by handing them a 122-113 loss. It's highly unlikely that both teams will play their regular starters (if at all) for a normal amount of minutes, but it should still be a good opportunity to evaluate the back end of Atlanta's roster.

If their most recent game against the Miami Heat is any indication, this game could be more entertaining than it would appear. The Hawks got solid minutes out of first-round rookie Asa Newell, who had 19 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Yet, Atlanta's best minutes came from depth players like Jacob Toppin (26 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and one steal), Caleb Houstan (21 points, including the game-winner) and Eli Ndaiye (game-winning block). Less heralded names like Charles Bassey (17 rebounds) also made a difference for Atlanta in the 119-118 overtime win.

The Hawks' excellent play in the frontcourt might be a positive sign for ending the preseason on a good note against a massive Rockets team. They just eked out a narrow 130-128 win over the Pelicans where both teams played starters for a healthy portion of the game. However, it's unlikely that Houston will start anyone of consequence as the regular season starts in a week.

This is the last taste of meaningless basketball for Atlanta before the games start to matter, so it's a good chance for head coach Quin Snyder to see if any of the strong performers from the Heat game hold up again.

How do the two teams matchup?

Asa Newell, Jacob Toppin, Newell, Toppin, Hawks, Atlanta Hawk — Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jacob Toppin (0) and forward Asa Newell (14) watch the free throw against Miami Heat center/forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the third quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The Hawks haven't been the deepest team in the front court during recent seasons, but they got a lot of great performances from the new additions against Miami. The two most impressive performances have to be from Jacob Toppin and Asa Newell. The duo combined for 57 of the 119 points Atlanta got and they did well against some of the Heat's regular starters, like center Bam Adebayo and point guard Davion Mitchell. While Toppin may not be able to crack regular season minutes for the Hawks, the emergence of Newell as a solid fill-in would be very impactful. Most rookies taken outside the lottery tend to take time as they acclimatize to the NBA. Newell doesn't have a traditional build at either PF or C and he's also 20 years old. He will need to develop more from a physical standpoint, but he has been performing reasonably well when he gets extended minutes.

While the obvious replacement for Garrison Mathews in the offseason was Luke Kennard, it's possible that Atlanta could replace Mathews' production with Caleb Houstan. Houstan shot a career-best 40% from deep on 2.8 attempts a game while serving as a reserve for the Magic last season. Atlanta has more spacing, so it wouldn't be all too surprising if he was even better this year. He canned five of his eight threes against the Heat while putting up 21 points and nailing the game-winning shot. Houston's defensive attitude is led by guys like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, but the entire team plays a hard-nosed style of defense led by head coach Ime Udoka. If Houstan can still perform well in these tougher circumstances, it's a good sign that the Hawks may have unearthed a hidden gem.

In terms of guard play, the Hawks are obviously set at point guard for as long as Trae Young is healthy and on the roster. However, it's worth evaluating his backups because the Hawks did not add a traditional backup point guard this offseason. Keaton Wallace earned a spot with the Hawks due to a strong Summer League last year and he had some nice moments last season when called upon. Still, he hasn't necessarily been impressive throughout preseason. Wallace struggled against Miami last season, scoring 5 points on 2-7 shooting. Lamont Butler actually outperformed him as a scorer, putting up 18 points. To be clear, Keaton still had a better game as a playmaker and dished out four assists against one turnover while Butler had five assists against five turnovers. It'll be interesting to see if that holds true against a Houston lineup that isn't very deep at guard. JD Davidson, Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday have had moments during preseason, but neither profiles as an especially tough matchup for Atlanta's backcourt in this game.

The Hawks also did a good job of closing off the paint against a Miami team that gave Ke'el Ware and Bam Adebayo decent preseason minutes. Improving their rim protection was a big motivator in their decision to get Kristaps Porzingis, but the other Hawks did a great job of protecting the rim in his absence. They finished the game with 15 blocks and also forced 11 turnovers. It remains to be seen whether Atlanta's retooled defense can actually shut down opponents, but they should be good at forcing opposing ball-handlers to lose their handle and get fast break points as a result. Houston will likely play Jeff Green and possibly Clint Capela decent minutes, so it'll be a good opportunity to see if the Hawks can shut things down for two veteran bigs used to getting easy points at the rim.

How to Watch

Atlanta Hawks, Hawks, Dante, N'Faly Dante, Toppin, Jacob Toppi — Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat forward Myron Gardner (15) shoots the ball against Atlanta Hawks center N’faly Dante (12) and Atlanta Hawks forward Jacob Toppin (0) during overtime at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Here is how you can watch tonight's game:

Tip-off time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Where to Watch: ESPN2

Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be favorites at home tonight, as they are currently 9.5-point favorites according to the latest odds from the Fanduel Sportsbook, and the over/under is set at 233.5.