What to Watch for in Rockets vs Trail Blazers NBA Cup Matchup

After bouncing back from their first group play loss against San Antonio, the Houston Rockets are heading into their second NBA Cup matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, following back-to-back wins.

Coach Ime Udoka also celebrated his 100th win against the Washington Wizards, and now looks for No. 101 as the Rockets host Portland in their second home game of the three-game home stand.

Keeping it 💯

Coach Udoka secured his 100th win last night!

He is the 4th coach in franchise history to have at least 100 wins within the first 175 games with the team.@Toyota | #AllFire pic.twitter.com/EWdFzuEcIm
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 13, 2025

In Houston's last contest, six players logged double-digit scores, led by Kevin Durant's 23 points, while both Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason logged at least 20 off the bench.

The Trail Blazers enter this game 1-0 in NBA Cup play, having already defeated the Denver Nuggets earlier this month.

They are also coming off a solid win against the New Orleans Pelicans, led by Shaedon Sharpe's 35 points, making it the first time in his young career that the 22-year-old logged back-to-back games with at least 30 points.

Jan 18, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) drives up court against Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe (17) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Murphy-Imagn Images | Brian Murphy-Imagn Images

As each team's rising stars have set their team up for success this season, this matchup can certainly deliver a sure-fire showdown.

Here are a few things to watch in today's Rockets-Trail Blazers game:

Battle for the Boards

Both the Rockets and Trail Blazers rank in the top five in Offensive Rebound Percentage, despite Houston averaging 20 more rebounds per game. Portland can definitely make it an interesting game if their bigs stay busy on the glass.

Donovan Clingan is having a great second year as the starting center for Portland, averaging 8.9 rebounds per game.

Nov 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) handles the ball against Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) during the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

However, he will have his work cut out for him in the paint when going against the Rockets' two-headed monster of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.

Keeping Portland off the boards is essential for the Rockets because fast-break points and quick play only feed into the Trail Blazers' style of offense, as they rank second in pace compared to the rest of the league.

Limiting Turnovers

In addition to the Trail Blazers' high ranking in pace, they also lead the league in creating turnovers, which should certainly worry Rockets fans, as they are one of the worst teams in the NBA at retaining possession, ranking No. 23 in turnover percentage.

Nov 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) talks with Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka on the sideline against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Rockets will need to continue their scoring barrage, averaging 124 points per game. Keeping the ball moving and finding the open man will certainly help Houston limit its turnovers.

Both teams rank in the top ten in steals, so protecting the basketball will be emphasized on each side, but the Trail Blazers will need to be at Houston's hip if they want a chance at keeping up with their high-volume scoring.

Game Information

Date: Thurs, Nov 13.
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Houston, Texas - Toyota Center
TV: NBA League Pass