Short-Handed Rockets Take To Road Without Durant

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA – OCTOBER 21: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets looks to pass during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on October 21, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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.(Photo by William Purnell/Getty Images)

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For the first time this season, the Houston Rockets will be without star forward Kevin Durant, expected to miss upcoming games at Phoenix and Golden State while tending to a family matter. The team is already playing without forwards Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Houston, 10-4, visits Phoenix on Monday and Golden State on Wednesday, the latter being a rematch against the squad that knocked the young Rockets out of the playoffs last season in a classic seven game series. The Rockets will then be off three full days before visiting the Utah Jazz on Sunday. This week’s games will be difficult tests without Durant. The Suns are off to a surprising 11-6 start and Golden State is always a tough matchup for Houston.

Houston went 2-1 last week with impressive victories over the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers before having their five game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in a game which went down to the wire.

The Rockets are now fourth in the West, tied with Los Angeles and Denver with 4 losses. The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder have created a bit of separation with the rest of the pack, now at 17-1.

The Rockets have gotten a boost from sophomore guard Reed Sheppard, now averaging 13.6 points per game on 50.7% shooting from the floor and a scorching hot 48.8% from long distance on 5.9 attempts per game. With Durant out, Sheppard will need to take on a bigger scoring role. Sheppard exploded for 27 points off the bench (including five threes) in Houston’s loss against Denver.

As of today, the Rockets are first in offensive rating at 122.5, eighth in defensive rating at 112.1, and second in net rating at +10.4. Udoka would no doubt like to see his team climb the league’s defensive rankings.

After losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet for the season following ACL surgery, it was believed that Houston would need to make a trade to stabilize its backcourt and acquire a veteran point guard. Especially with Sheppard’s emergence, the Rockets seem to be doing just fine, rolling along with the league’s most potent offense.