The Houston Rockets suffered a major setback before the 2025-2026 NBA season started. The veteran guard Fred VanVleet suffered an injury that placed his availability for the year in jeopardy immediately. The Rockets didn’t panic. They placed their trust in the guys on the roster and hoped for the best. So far, the Rockets have been decent.

The Rockets, however, have struggled lately, losing three straight games before ending the skid against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. On NBA on Prime, former NBA forwards Blake Griffin and Udonis Haslem pointed out some of Houston's issues, including a stale offense and a lack of organization on the floor.

The Thunder were missing starting center Isaiah Hartenstein, their top rebounder, and the double-big lineups of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams took full advantage. It was a near-expectation coming into the game, as the Rockets are the No. 1 rebounding team in the league.

"It's who I am, my background and everything I'm about and proud of," coach Ime Udoka said of his heritage on the Rockets' Nigerian Heritage Night.

The Houston Rockets are struggling to define who they are. Inconsistency, rotations, and execution have fueled an identity crisis.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander anotó 20 puntos, Chet Holmgren agregó 18 y el Thunder de Oklahoma City se despegó en el último cuarto para vencer el jueves 111-91 a los Rockets de Houston.

During his time suiting up for the Rockets, Smith wore only jersey No. 5 and put up 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

The reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will be tested tonight in a matchup against the Houston Rockets. The two teams met on opening night, which ended in a 125-124 victory for OKC in overtime. That was the launching pad for a historic start in OKC.