How The Rockets Can Avoid Another Upset To The Hornets

The Houston Rockets are in desperate need to start racking up wins at a high rate, and they must begin with their rematch against the Charlotte Hornets after having one of their worst home performances in their loss against that team.

Feb 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) handles the ball against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Wins at this time of the season are critical, and the Houston Rockets know they must stack up wins at a high rate to put themselves in quality position for the postseason. As it stands, they would currently have home court advantage for at least the first round, but the Rockets are looking to raise their level of competition to avoid let down losses in the final stretch.

One of the team's most recent let downs was against the Charlotte Hornets after one of Houston's worst home losses of the season. The Rockets must reverse some of the elements that led to the loss if they hope to redeem themselves and start their final stretch strong.

To start with the good, Kevin Durant's scoring was the lone bright spot against the Hornets.

Durant scored efficiently, and he even added five steals to his ledger as he was by far the most impactful player on either side. However, his six turnovers are the start of the negatives for the Rockets.

The team finished with 18 turnovers overall, with Amen Thompson also giving away six turnovers. The Rockets were unable to take advantage of Charlotte's 20 turnovers because of their own mistakes from their highest usage players.

The scoring of Jabari Smith Jr. was another positive, finishing as the only other player to have double-digit points. Thompson scored eight points, while Alperen Sengun and Reed Sheppard scored just seven points. These numbers from such critical pieces of the team aren't good enough to beat any team in the NBA, even with seven assists from Thompson and five from Sengun.

Houston's three-point limitations were in full display against the Hornets as they completed only eight of their opportunities from deep. The Hornets knocked down 17.

Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, and Miles Bridges each made a significant impact on the offense. If the Rockets are hoping to win this next matchup, they'll have to do better to hold these players when they have the ball in their hands, but also when they are moving off the ball.

Even after forcing a high number of turnovers, the Rockets defense overall wasn't good enough to keep the Hornets from getting shots off and converting enough buckets to secure the victory.

The rematch is in Charlotte, and games at this time of year feel more important due to the proximity of the postseason. The Rockets must find a way to finish against teams like the Hornets to keep pace in the standings and finish the season strong.