Rockets Rank High in National TV Broadcasts for 2025-26 NBA Season

The 2025-26 NBA season should be an exciting one with new broadcasts on NBC, Peacock and Amazon Prime. With the influx of superstar talent comes a new presentation to the game, starting on opening night with a matchup between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, a battle between the top two seeds in the Western Conference last season.

The Rockets have a lot of hype brewing coming into the new NBA year. After acquiring future Hall-of-Fame Kevin Durant and bolstering the rotation, Houston is a legitimate title contender and expected to take a major leap after impressing last season.

The Rockets' hype is being reflected in their national TV schedule. Although they aren't tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers for the most games, Houston will have 28 nationally broadcasted matchups, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

There will be four games on ABC, seven on NBC, six on ESPN, seven on Prime, and four on Peacock. Starting with opening night, the Rockets will have all three games against the Thunder on national TV. Other notable matchups include the Lakers on Christmas Day and a stretch from late February to late March, where Houston has 10 nationally televised games.

With a young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr., being accompanied by Durant, this season should be an exciting one for Houston. Not only is there star talent, but a great mix of veterans and youngsters to create one of the deepest rotations in the league. The Rockets pride themselves on defensive versatility, but new acquisitions balance out their play style.

During the season, Houston will have 14 sets of back-to-back games starting with Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 against the Utah Jazz on the road.

In a loaded Western Conference, every game counts for the Rockets. They can attest to that statement based on last season, where the top eight seeds were separated by a mere few games. At one point in February, Houston fell to the sixth seed in the West, but the team managed to finish second at 52-30.

With plenty of star power being added to the conference, the Rockets will have their hands full despite the hype. With a 36-year-old Durant at the helm, the question will be if he can lead this team to a championship despite the criticism and his age.