Rockets to Have NBA's 10th-Easiest Schedule in February

The 2025-26 NBA season has been flying by. It feels like the Houston Rockets' opening night double-overtime thriller against the Oklahoma City Thunder was just yesterday.

In all actuality, that game was played over three months ago.

It feels like just yesterday when the Rockets received devastating news that starting point guard Fred VanVleet had torn his ACL. 

In all actuality, that injury happened over four months ago.

The Rockets find themselves 30-17 just a little past the halfway point of the season, which is good for fourth place in the bloodbath that is the Western Conference. 

Houston has had well-chronicled disappointments and/or letdown against non-contending teams. 

Or let's just say lottery-level teams.

By the same token, we've also seen the Rockets pull off impressive victories over legitimate contending teams. 

The Rockets were projected to have a moderately difficult schedule slate for the month of January.

12th-most difficult, in fact.

The Rockets went 10-7 in the opening month of 2026, bearing their season-long look of an inconsistent team.

The Rockets went on a three-game losing streak early in the month and ultimately lost four of their first six games.

By the same token, they closed the month out 8-3 and had won four of their previous five games entering Monday night's game against the Indiana Pacers. 

Houston Rockets Projected to Have NBA's 10th-Easiest Schedule in Month of February

This month, Houston is expected to have a much easier slate. According to John Schuhmann of NBA.com, that is.

Per Schuhmann's model, the Rockets will have the 10th-easiest schedule in February. The writer explained.

"The Rockets have the league’s best record (13-2) in interconference games and are the only Western Conference team with more February games against the East (seven) than they have against the West (five). Five of their first seven post-break games are in Eastern Conference arenas."

This doesn't guarantee Houston will have a successful month. Far from it, actually. 

Earlier in the season, Schuhmann had the Rockets with the easiest schedule in December, yet Houston went 7-6.

This month, Houston plays six road games and the same number of home games. The Rockets will also have three back-to-back games this month.

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