The Houston Rockets Can Start the Upcoming Season With Two Win

The NBA has officially released the schedule for the upcoming regular season. The Houston Rockets' first two games will be played at home at the Toyota Center against the Dallas Mavericks. The first game will be played on Wednesday, October 21; the second will be on Friday, October 23. Houston will be the favorite in these matchups, giving the team a great opportunity to come out strong out of the gate and start the season with a 2-0 record. If they can do so, they will gain confidence and momentum, giving them a valuable edge for the rest of the season. The Rockets should have the upper hand in this Texas rivalry, as they are projected to be ranked in the top six of the Western Conference. On the other hand, the Mavericks are projected to be in the bottom five. This rivalry took place four times last season, and Houston won both of their home games. The Rockets have established themselves as one of the most dominant home teams, which is evident in their impressive 30-11 record across all of their home games in the 2025-2026 season. The Rockets have a stronger roster overall, and there are some intriguing matchups to be analyzed. Both teams’ point guards are returning from torn ACLs. The Mavericks’ star Kyrie Irving tore his ACL on March 3, 2025, and has not played a game since. On the other hand, Houston’s Fred VanVleet tore his ACL in September 2025 and has also not played. This will be both players’ first game back on the court, and their performances will be a huge factor in who comes out on top. Both teams have very strong young cores and lean on protecting the paint. There will be a strong physical battle in the interior between the teams' young centers. Houston’s talented Alperen Şengün will fight in the paint against Dereck Lively II. The Mavericks have had some coaching issues in the recent past. They recently hired Dusty May on June 23. Although May has an outstanding track record as a college coach, he does not have any NBA experience. It will take time for him to adapt to the NBA and to his new team. Because of this, Houston got lucky in getting matched up against them in the first two games of the season, giving them another strong edge. If Houston can use their advantages to win both games, the motivation for success will surely strengthen. How important might these first two games be?