Houston Rockets vs. Atlanta Hawks game preview

HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 20: CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Houston Rockets on March 20, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

With this being the second night of a back-to-back, you know the drill. This preview is being written before tip-off between the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. It’s also being written before the Atlanta Hawks take on the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina. So if anything weird happens in those games and I’m not mentioning it, well you know the reason now.

So as previously stated, both teams will be playing the SEGABABA. Then they will both fly to Houston to play each other again on Monday night at the Toyota Center.

Generally these home-and-away series are split. The team that loses the first game comes out more motivated to win the second one. It’s only when the talent gap is large or it’s late in the season and one team needs both games that you usually see the 2-0 sweep. That’s not the case here. Both the Rockets and Hawks have dreams about making deep playoff runs. Atlanta gave the eventual champion New York Knicks their toughest test last season. They added Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort from Oklahoma City, and they drafted UH guard Kingston Flemings.

Atlanta is still a nightmare to deal with defensively. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu each had defensive win shares over 2.5. That helps to make up for C.J. McCollum, who is their closer and undisputed alpha dog in the clutch.

The Hawks are sort of the platonic ideal of what Ime Udoka wants: rangy wings, solid rim protection, and an alpha on offense who can create shots for themselves when the nonexistent offense continues…not existing. The Hawks don’t have a true point guard, which is maybe the only thing Ime would demand. Well, that and Magic City Night, potentially.

7:30pm CT

Space City Home Network

Steven Adams: GTD

Reed Sheppard: GTD

Fred VanVleet: probably out?

Mo Gueye: OUT

N/A

Check here for updates

Rockets: 0

Opponents: 1

Monday night in Houston against the Hawks