What to Watch for in Rockets vs Raptors as Houston Looks to get Win No. 2

The Houston Rockets are back on the road following their first regular season win. Wednesday evening, they head north to face the Toronto Raptors for the first time this season.

Following a dominant win against Brooklyn, the Rockets have the potential to string together multiple wins before their NBA Cup matchup against San Antonio next Tuesday.

Houston will look to start their streak against a Raptors team that has already suffered three straight losses and will likely be playing hungrier than ever at home, looking to avoid a fourth loss.

Only one center in the NBA is averaging
25+ PTS,
8+ REB,
6+ AST this season.
Alperen Şengün 🚀 pic.twitter.com/dPT496dU3M
— Alperen Şengün Stats (@SengunStats) October 28, 2025

Alperen Sengun has been on a tear through the Rockets' first three games, averaging 25.7 points and eight rebounds. He's also been the catalyst for a big chunk of the playmaking while the team continues to find its footing without starting point guard Fred VanVleet.

In the Rockets' last contest, Tari Eason stepped up to the plate as the team's three-point shooting spark, going for a career-high five made shots behind the arc out of his seven in the contest.

Tari Eason making the most of his 26 minutes pic.twitter.com/ctdNfNVtY6
— NBA University (@NBA_University) October 28, 2025

A performance like Eason's is just what Houston needed as the team struggled to find the bottom of the net from the three in its first two games.

As the Rockets gear up for the Raptors this afternoon, Coach Udoka will be hopeful that other role players can be as contributive as Eason was against the Nets.

Oct 8, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka reacts after a play during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Here are a few things to watch for in this afternoon's Rockets-Raptors matchup:

Controlling the Glass

Toronto's team shares a similar build to Houston's with a mix of talented young players and savvy veterans. However, one advantage the Rockets will have against the Raptors will be their ability to control the glass, especially with the talented bigs on Houston's roster.

Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) and center Steven Adams (12) defend against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Coach Udoka's double-big lineup continues to work out its kinks as the team finds its consistent shooters during this season's start, but when it comes to rebounding the ball, this lengthy team has no problem in that category.

Can Houston Hold Their Lead?

In the Rockets' two losses, a big problem was closing out the game in the fourth quarter, a lingering issue from last season.

While this isn't a shocker, it is definitely surprising, considering that one of the main reasons Houston made such a big splash this offseason for superstar forward Kevin Durant was to land a closer during tight contests.

Oct 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Unfortunately, this was not the case in the matchups versus Oklahoma City and Detroit, as Durant was a bit more passive than the aggressive nature we have seen over the years during the game's end.

Given the possibility of this contest being a tight matchup, the Rockets will look to Durant to show why he is not just one of the greatest scorers in the game but also a great closer.

Game Information:

Date: Wed, Oct. 29
Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
Location: Toronto, Ontario, CA - Scotiabank Arena
TV: NBA League Pass