Rockets vs Hawks:
When: 7:30pm et Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
The Houston Rockets are rolling, and they’ll aim to keep the momentum alive on Tuesday night when they head to Atlanta to face the struggling Hawks.
Fresh off a three-game East Coast rampage, the Rockets have been on fire. They took down the conference-leading Cavaliers in back-to-back games, capped it off with a nail-biting 114-112 victory over the defending champion Celtics in Boston on Monday, and are now riding high with nine wins in their last 11 outings.
Amen Thompson has been unstoppable. The second-year sensation followed up his first career triple-double in Cleveland with a career-high 33 points against Boston, including the game-winning floater over Jaylen Brown with just 1.3 seconds left. That bucket sealed a comeback for Houston, who had trailed by 12 in the fourth quarter.
“It felt great, I knew it was in all the way,” Thompson said after the game. “It’s my first game-winner. I feel like Kobe!”
Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks embraced his “villain” role to perfection in Boston, silencing the hostile crowd with 36 points, including a franchise-record-tying 10 three-pointers—the most ever by a Canadian in an NBA game.
“Dillon the Villain” wasn’t just shooting; he was putting on a show. Dancing, taunting, and blowing kisses to the crowd, Brooks thrived on the boos. “It gives me fire,” Brooks said. “It fuels my teammates. We believe in each other, and we play like the tougher team every night.”
As Houston surges, Atlanta finds itself limping into this matchup after dropping their fifth straight game, a 100-92 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday. Missing key players, including Trae Young (hamstring), Jalen Johnson (shoulder), and Dyson Daniels (ankle), the Hawks have struggled to find rhythm on offense, shooting just 27.9% from deep against Minnesota.
Despite the injuries, De’Andre Hunter stepped up with a career-high 35 points, carrying the Hawks and giving them a fighting chance. “He was aggressive from three,” said Hawks coach Quin Snyder. “With guys out, we needed him to step up, and he delivered.”
Still, the Hawks will have their hands full trying to slow down the red-hot Rockets, who are showing no signs of cooling off. Houston’s toughness and explosive offense make them a nightmare matchup, especially for an Atlanta team battling injuries and inconsistency.
