The Houston Rockets host the Atlanta Hawks at the Toyota Center on Friday, March 20, at 8:00 p.m. ET.
The Rockets are 41-27 and fifth in the West with a 23-10 home record, while the Hawks are 38-31 and sixth in the East with a 19-15 road record.
The Rockets are coming off two consecutive eight-point losses at the hands of the LA Lakers (100-92, 124-116), while the Hawks are on an 11-game win streak, coming off a 135-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks. The last meeting between these teams came on January 29, 2026, with the Rockets picking up a 104-86 win, with tonight’s game being their final encounter for the year.
The Rockets are led by Kevin Durant, who’s averaging 25.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists this season, despite struggles in their recent losses to the Lakers. Alperen Sengun is averaging 20.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, with the All-Star center hoping to arrest the Rockets’ current losing streak with a win against the Hawks.
The Hawks are led by Jalen Johnson, who has averaged 22.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in a breakout season with the franchise. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has proven to be a highly-influential player with 20.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists averages in his first season with the team. They’re peaking at the perfect time, and a win over a team like the Rockets will further cement their credentials.
Both teams need this win, so it’s bound to be a fascinating clash in Houston between two competitive franchises.
Injury Report
Rockets
Fred VanVleet.: Out (knee)
Steven Adams: Out (ankle)
Jae’Sean Tate: Out (knee)
Hawks
N/A
Why The Rockets Have The Advantage
The Rockets are arguably one of the toughest teams in the NBA to beat. They’re the No. 1 rebounding team in the NBA per game (48.0) while also being No. 3 in blocks per game (5.8). Their rebounding success also means that they’re one of the best teams when it comes to second-chance points with 17.8 per game. They are dominant in the interior with 52.5 points coming from the paint every game (fifth-best in the NBA).
The Rockets’ physicality gives them an advantage over most teams that’s hard to beat defensively. They have a 113.4 defensive rating on the season, which is due to their constant effort on that end. They recover 5.2 loose balls per game, creating extra possessions to try and help their comparatively mediocre offense build enough distance against opponents. Their +4.0 net rating also highlights they’re one of the best teams in the NBA.
There are few teams in the NBA better than the Rockets in scoring in the paint and in the mid-range, so maximizing these scoring opportunities against a weaker defense like the Hawks could help them earn this win. With the game being at Houston’s home arena, where they’ve been really strong all year, this could set up a return to form for the team that hopes to be a contender in the Western Conference.
Why The Hawks Have The Advantage
The Hawks are the hottest team in the NBA, convincingly winning their last 11 games. They have had a 122.9 offensive rating and a 105.3 defensive rating over this stretch, absolutely wrecking all opponents they face. A lot of their overall season stats are hard to rely on, given the changes they’ve had on the roster, but they’ve proven that the underlying strengths of the franchise have carried through on this stretch.
The Hawks are one of the strongest half-court defensive units in the NBA, excelling defensively when the game slows down. They’re a top-five team when it comes to forcing steals this season with 9.4 per game, which is huge given they’ve had one of the worst transition defenses this season. That’s improved greatly over the last 11 games, with Johnson taking a step forward defensively with Onyeka Okongwu playing a crucial role on that front as well.
The Hawks are a superior scoring team to Houston generally, with 39.1 three-point attempts a game at 36.9% conversion, compared to Houston’s inferior 30.8 three-point attempts (29th in the NBA) on 36.1% conversion. If they can keep their strong offensive form going on this road game, they can pick up their 12th straight win.
X-Factors
Jabari Smith Jr. has been in good form recently and will be a crucial player for the Rockets against Atlanta. He’s averaging 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds this season. The Rockets will need him to focus on defense to try to slow down Johnson. While the Rockets have a strong defensive core to throw at Johnson, Smith Jr. will be relied upon as a primary defender more often than anyone else.
Amen Thompson is the team’s best defender and will be tasked with slowing down the guards in Atlanta. He’s averaging 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists this season. His ability to attack the Hawks in transition might help the Rockets get a lot of easy opportunities against a Hawks team that has glaring weaknesses in that area.
The Hawks have a defensive player of Thompson’s caliber on their end as well with Dyson Daniels, who might make it a long night for Durant, who’s already on a bit of a cold stretch. Daniels is averaging 11.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.9 steals this season, but his offense isn’t what makes the team click. He’ll be looking to maximize the Rockets’ on-ball weaknesses and stifle their offensive rhythm, similar to what Marcus Smart managed against them.
Hawks’ new addition CJ McCollum has averaged 18.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists since joining the franchise, but the veteran guard has helped stabilize the Hawks’ unpredictable offense over their 11-game win streak. While he might face a stylistic struggle against the Rockets, he’s experienced enough to break it down and go off for a huge night.
Prediction
This is very hard to predict, given the opposing forms the teams involved are in. Houston is coming off two very high-profile losses, while the Hawks have quietly been racking up more wins than anyone else in March. Houston have a better baseline as a defensive unit and have an offensive wild card like Durant who can change the game, but it seems Atlanta’s surging two-way play over the last month will continue against a Rockets team still looking identity-less on the court.
Prediction: Rockets 102, Hawks 112
