Overview
- Tipoff is 8:00 p.m. ET at Toyota Center, with TV on Space City Home Network and streaming on NBA League Pass and Fubo.
- The Rockets enter 18-10 (sixth in the West) and the Cavaliers 17-15 (seventh in the East) after contrasting Christmas results.
- Houston lists Alperen Şengün as questionable with left calf tightness and rules out Fred VanVleet following ACL repair, while Cleveland remains without Max Strus (foot surgery) and Larry Nance Jr. (calf).
- Probable lineups reported: Rockets — Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Josh Okogie, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün; Cavaliers — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Sam Merrill, Dean Wade, Jarrett Allen.
- Books have Houston around -3.5 to -4 with an over/under of roughly 234.5–235, and the teams’ previous meeting on Nov. 19 was a 114-104 Rockets win highlighted by a near triple-double from Şengün.