In the final game before the NBA’s All-Star break for both teams, the young and struggling Rockets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Houston enters with six straight losses.
In the finale of the 2022-23 season series between the teams, the good news for the Rockets is they defeated the Thunder in two of the prior three meetings. The bad news is the loss came less than two weeks ago and in the same building as Wednesday’s rematch. That game was arguably Houston’s lowest point of the entire season.
During that last meeting, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led an offensive explosion for the Thunder, who set an Oklahoma City record with 153 points. No overtime periods were required to reach that mark.
The Rockets haven’t won since that Feb. 4 beat down, but they have become more competitive defensively in many of their recent games. On Wednesday, they’ll put that to the test as they return to the scene where they were thoroughly embarrassed less than two weeks ago.
When and How to Watch
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 13
- Time: 7 p.m. Central
- TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest, NBA League Pass
- Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)
Probable starting lineups
Houston Rockets (13-44)
- Guard: Jae’Sean Tate
- Guard: Jalen Green
- Forward: KJ Martin
- Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
- Center: Alperen Sengun
Oklahoma City Thunder (27-29)
- Guard: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Guard: Josh Giddey
- Forward: Luguentz Dort
- Forward: Jaylin Williams
- Center: Jalen Williams
Projected lineups are based on each team’s prior game.
Injury reports
Houston’s injury report lists Kevin Porter Jr. as out with a left foot contusion, which has now cost him one month and counting of game action. Oklahoma City is listing Chet Holmgren (right foot surgery) and Aleksej Pokusevski (left tibial plateau fracture) as out.
