The Houston Rockets are enjoying a phenomenal, much better-than-expected season competing for a top-four playoff seed. They’re doing so right off the back of a phenomenal, much better-than-expected season going .500. But in back-to-back seasons, the better-than-expected Rockets have suffered from a major tweak in the spine. The Rockets struggle mightily with back-to-backs.<\/p>\n
The Houston Rockets aren’t good in back-to-backs. Of course, nobody is expected to play their best in back-to-backs. At 5-8 on the second night of back-to-backs so far, the Rockets are pretty middle of the pack<\/a>. But in other ways, the Rockets have ways moved on from being a middle-of-the-pack team this season. The Rockets’ immediate Western conference competitors, the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Memphis Grizzlies all have better records (the Nuggets are somehow 10-1).<\/p>\n The Rockets have four remaining sets of back-to-backs this season. That includes one beginning Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. One thing the Rockets have improved on significantly this season compared with last is how they’ve performed in the opening nights of back-to-backs. Last season<\/a>, the Rockets were 4-10 in the second night of back-to-backs, but also only 5-9 in the first night.<\/p>\n Through the first 13 back-to-backs of 2024-25, the Rockets have been 11-2 in the opening encounter. Giving them a 16-10 overall record in back-to-back games this season. One of those two losses incidentally came against the one good half<\/a> of basketball that Anthony Davis<\/a> has played for the Dallas Mavericks. The other was part of a New York road trip, which might not be a coincidence either.<\/p>\n It seems like the Rockets have made a commitment to going all in on the first game of back-to-backs this season. The idea of saving something for the next night is possibly what landed them with such a poor record across both games last season. Going 11-2 instead of 5-9 would seem to vindicate their decision.<\/p>\n Of course, with four such games still remaining, there’s still time for the Rockets to wind up with something closer to their overall season winning percentage. That’s a winning percentage that is improved across the board compared with last season. It’s fair to suggest then that their improved good fortune in the opening games of back-to-backs could be down to mere coincidence.<\/p>\n One problem for Houston in back-to-backs this season, at least recently, has been that they’ve had 50% less Tari Eason<\/a>. Since returning from injury, the rabble-rouser, and spot-starter<\/a>, has been systematically withheld from the back end of back-to-backs. He is a game-changer for Houston when he’s out there, so it only follows that the game would change for the worse when he isn’t. In fact, running on empty from playing the night before is exactly when the team needs Eason’s energy the most.<\/p>\nThe First Game Counts For Something Too<\/h3>\n
The Second Night of Rockets Back-To-Backs<\/h3>\n