Rockets to Begin Week-Long Road Trip On Monday

There's no reason for the Houston Rockets to panic following a 112-109 NBA Cup loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. In a game that saw them score just 12 points in the first quarter, the Rockets were still able to make things interesting down the stretch, even with stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun struggling.

With that being said, in an extremely crowded Western Conference with at least nine playoff contenders, every game counts. Last season, the No. 2 seed and Play-In teams were separated by less than five games, and that trend could continue in 2025-26. After Houston's loss to the Nuggets, the team went from third in the West to fifth with a 10-4 record.

The Rockets have two days off before beginning a week-long road trip on Monday, going from Nov. 24 to Dec. 1. With a good amount of rest, it's the perfect opportunity to get back on track. It'll start with a game against the Phoenix Suns, who are unexpectedly hot at the moment.

Led by Devin Booker and former Rocket Dillon Brooks, Phoenix has been impressive on both sides of the ball. The Suns own the No. 11 offensive rating in the NBA (117.1) and the No. 12 defensive rating (112.4). Over their last 10 games, they're 8-2, averaging 120.6 points per game.

The matchup will not only be Durant's return to Phoenix, but the first time Brooks faces the team that traded him. Jalen Green will remain out with a hamstring strain.

From there, Houston will travel to play its bitter rival, the Golden State Warriors, for another NBA Cup game. While the Suns have exceeded expectations, the Warriors haven't quite lived up to them at 9-9. Their offense ranks just 23rd in the league (112.6 rating), as they've lacked production from players outside of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III.

The Rockets will close out the road trip with back-to-back games in Utah against the Jazz. Don't be fooled by their 5-10 record, as they're a sneaky young team with a lot of fight.

Utah is averaging 129.2 points over its last six games, led by Lauri Markkanen, who could make another All-Star appearance this season. The 7-foot-1 forward is averaging 29.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists on impressive shooting splits, which could be a threat to Houston's double-big tandem of Sengun and Steven Adams.