The Houston Rockets visit the Utah Jazz on Sunday afternoon as both teams prepare for a meeting shaped by injuries on each side.
Houston enters the game at 12–4 with a three-game winning streak, including a 104–100 victory over Golden State in its most recent outing.
Utah holds a 6–12 record but is coming off a 128–119 win against Sacramento on November 28.
This will be the first matchup of the 2025–26 season between the two Western Conference opponents.
The Rockets will operate without several rotation pieces, most notably Fred VanVleet, who remains sidelined after right knee ACL surgery.
Tari Eason is out with a right oblique strain, and Dorian Finney-Smith continues to recover from left ankle surgery.
Two-way wings Isaiah Crawford and Kevon Harris are unavailable due to G League assignments.
Steven Adams is listed as questionable with right ankle tendinopathy, leaving Houston’s frontcourt depth uncertain heading into Sunday.
Despite the injuries, Houston has relied on its core group led by Kevin Durant, who averages 24.6 points and shoots 48.5% from the field across 14 games.
Alperen Sengun continues to post strong all-around production with 22.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 48.3%.
Amen Thompson adds 17.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest through his first 16 appearances, while Jabari Smith Jr. contributes 15.1 points with improved three-point accuracy.
Utah’s injury list is also significant, headlined by Walker Kessler, who remains out due to left shoulder recovery.
Kevin Love is resting, while Georges Niang is unavailable with a left foot stress reaction.
Keyonte George, averaging 23.8 points and 7.1 assists, is questionable with an illness, putting the Jazz’s lead facilitator in doubt.
Several young contributors, including Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams, are on G League assignments.
The Jazz continue to rely on Lauri Markkanen, who leads the team with 28.5 points per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 36.0% from three.
Svi Mykhailiuk and Jusuf Nurkic have provided steady support in the scoring column, though the club still sits near the bottom of the West in overall record.
Utah will look to build on its recent win, while Houston aims to extend its streak and maintain its early-season momentum despite absences.
Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
