What to Watch for in Rockets-Hornets After the All-Star Break

Houston will travel to Charlotte for its first game since NBA All-Star Weekend.

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

The Houston Rockets are back in action tonight as they take on the 26-29 Hornets in Charlotte. After a rough patch leading up to NBA All-Star Weekend, the Rockets had a long break to reset, with the hope that things will improve moving forward.

Houston previously fell to the Hornets, 109-99, on Feb. 5 at the Toyota Center. It was a disappointing loss, but it was a part of the Hornets' nine-game winning streak to become one of the hottest teams in basketball. They've won 10 of their last 11 games.

Tonight, there will be a few things to look out for, not just based upon Houston's previous encounter with Charlotte, but also when looking at the overall struggles and strengths of the season:

Turnovers

The Rockets' biggest weakness has been an inability to take care of the ball. This season, they're averaging 15.4 turnovers per game with a rate of 15.7% that ranks 27th in the NBA.

Houston has suffered tremendously without a true point guard. Fred VanVleet (torn ACL) is not necessarily a superstar, but he's an anchor on both ends of the floor for the backcourt, particularly on the offensive end. The team has been forced to run the position by committee, but there simply isn't anyone who can truly take care of the ball while initiating sets.

Similarly, the Hornets also have a turnover problem, averaging 15.9 per game (29th in the league). However, they are a much younger team with more wiggle room to make mistakes. What's more is that Charlotte has an extremely strong perimeter corps featuring LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.

Giveaways could very well decide the winner of this game; who can make the least amount of mistakes?

Rebounding

The Rockets will play out the final 29 games of the regular season without Steven Adams, their main bruiser. They have posted a historic 39.9% offensive rebounding rate, the highest in the play-by-play era (1996-97).

However, Adams, who underwent ankle surgery, will be out for the rest of the year. He was averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, so this is a major blow to Houston's paint presence.

Meanwhile, Moussa Diabate's suspension puts the Hornets at a major disadvantage in the paint. The Rockets have resorted to other quality big men like Alperen Şengün and Clint Capela, while Charlotte's only true center is Ryan Kalkbrenner. The rookie will have to step up big; Houston should win the paint battle.