Rockets to Begin Back-to-Back Set Before All-Star Break

Houston will have two big games in two days before the All-Star break, facing the LA Clippers.

Dec 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (left) and guard James Harden (right) force Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) to turn the ball over during the third quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The LA Clippers looked a lot different the last time they faced the Houston Rockets. They were in the middle of what has become a 19-6 record since Dec. 20, the best mark in the NBA across that stretch. The last time the two met on Dec. 23, they routed the Rockets in LA, 128-108, in the midst of what had been a rough patch on Houston's end.

Fast forward to Feb. 10, and the Rockets are set to host the Clippers in the first game of a back-to-back series. With the All-Star break right around the corner, both teams are looking to end this portion of the season on a strong note. Especially Houston.

Since the trade deadline, which saw LA part ways with two of its three best players, the team is a surprising 2-0, winning by an average margin of 11 points. The Clippers moved James Harden and Ivica Zubac for return packages that included Darius Garland, Bennedict Mathurin and a potential top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft (heavy protections pending).

LA doesn't own its first-round pick this year, so the team is actually more inclined to win and show development rather than incentively lose.

Meanwhile, the Rockets are coming off a 112-106 win over a decimated Oklahoma City Thunder squad, and lost two straight games before that. Opposite to the Clippers, who made plenty of noise leading up to Feb. 5, Houston was one of three NBA teams that stayed dead silent.

Ime Udoka will be coaching this roster through the rest of the season without any new faces, but many are disappointed the Rockets didn't fix their weaknesses. They lack a true point guard with Fred VanVleet out (torn ACL), and it has resulted in a 15.5% turnover rate, good for 26th in the league.

Houston is also without Steven Adams, who underwent season-ending ankle surgery in January. As for the Clippers, Garland (toe) has no timetable for a return, while Bradley Beal has been out since early November with season-ending hip surgery.

Now that Harden and Zubac are gone, the Clippers actually have the same holes as the Rockets. They both lack facilitation at the one, while their bruising centers are gone for the season for different reasons. LA is one spot under Houston in turnover rate at 15.7%.

If the Rockets can pull off back-to-back wins before the break, they'll be in a good spot moving forward. However, even splitting the series would be discouraging as the opportunity to hit the buyout market looms.

Houston is looking to make its mark in a crowded Western Conference. The Rockets can't afford to drop games as a top-four seed, with the opportunity to make a statement against one of the hottest teams in the league tonight.