Rockets Hope to Pick It up on Both Sides of the Floor Amid Rough Month

Houston will have an opportunity to redeem itself after the All-Star break despite a poor month of basketball.

Feb 13, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) and Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) reach for a rebound in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The NBA All-Star break was much-needed for the Houston Rockets, who had been struggling through the month of February. After going 11-4 in January, picking up major wins against championship contenders, the Rockets have gone a disappointing 2-6 through February thus far.

There isn't one particular factor that has plagued Houston in this stretch, rather, the team is struggling on both sides of the floor. The Rockets rank fourth in defensive rating this season (109.3), but since Feb. 1, they've dropped to 12th (113.4), having given up an average of 109.9 points in their last eight games.

Houston's offense has taken even more of a hit, as a team that ranks 12th in offensive rating (113.6) has posted a 109.1 rating in February, which ranks 26th in the NBA. The Rockets are averaging just 105.4 points per game this month.

While this stretch of games has caused major concern, Houston has played the majority of the month without key players. All-Star center Alperen Sengun has appeared in six of the team's eight games this month but left Feb. 9's game against the Toronto Raptors early in the first quarter due to injury. The Rockets have been missing their best player for nearly half of the month.

Houston is also playing without starting power forward Jabari Smith Jr., who has been out for over a month due to a broken hand. He is targeting a return for the Rockets' next game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 21.

The last major piece missing for the Rockets has been point guard Fred VanVleet, who has not played since Feb. 1 due to an ankle injury. The veteran and former All-Star is averaging 14.6 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.6 steals this season. Although he has struggled with efficiency on offense, he is still a major part of Houston's general success this year.

With these players on track to play post-All-Star break, the Rockets could build momentum again to finish strong before the postseason. Houston held the second seed in the Western Conference before February's stretch of games dropped the team to fourth.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.