NBA Power Rankings: Where Are Rockets Before Christmas?

The Houston Rockets are enjoying back-to-back wins after coming back from the Emirates NBA Cup.

Their recent success has kept them among the best teams in the NBA with a 19-9 record.

It has also prompted NBA.com writer John Schuhmann to keep the Rockets at No. 6 in his most recent power rankings.

"The Rockets took care of business against the Pelicans and Raptors last week, though they had to come back from 16 points down in Toronto," Schuhmann writes.

"Every other team had at least one rest-advantage game before Thanksgiving and nine teams have had five already. The Rockets haven’t had a rest-advantage game yet, but they’ll have two on the five-game homestand that begins Friday, with the first coming Sunday against the Heat."

The teams that sit ahead of the Rockets are the Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Rockets are back in action tonight for one final game before Christmas against the Charlotte Hornets. Then, the Rockets visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday before returning home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat on Friday and Sunday.

Tipoff for tonight's game between the Rockets and Hornets is set for 6 p.m. CT from inside the Spectrum Center. The game can be watched on Space City Home Network or streamed on NBA League Pass.