Rockets vs Hawks Prediction 10/26/26 NBA Picks Today

The Atlanta Hawks will be out for some revenge after having their two-game win streak snapped by the Rockets in a 121-114 home defeat on Saturday. Jalen Johnson led the team with 26 points, nine rebounds and 16 assists; Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels each scored 18 points, while CJ McCollum chipped in with 17 points.

As a team, the Hawks shot 45 percent from the field and 13 of 49 from the 3-point line as they struggled to get going and scored just 22 points in the second quarter to trail by as many as 20 points at one stage, but they still managed to make it interesting by rallying late to cut the deficit to just five points with 35.1 seconds remaining.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have hit the ground running this season as they are now gunning for a fourth straight victory after taking down the Hawks on Saturday. Kevin Durant led the team with 22 points on eight of 15 shooting; Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason each scored 19 points, while Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson both scored double-doubles with 17 points apiece.

As a team, the Rockets shot 48 percent from the field and 14 of 35 from the 3-point line as they attacked the Hawks with a balanced scoring effort to amass a hefty lead, before they lost focus down the stretch and needed free throws to avoid catastrophe.

Why the Houston Rockets will win

• The Rockets have won 15 of their last 16 night games against Southeast Division opponents.
• The Hawks have lost 12 of their last 13 games against Southwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
• The Rockets have covered the spread in seven of their last eight night games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a winning record.
• The Hawks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five games against Southwest Division opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Atlanta Hawks will win

• The underdogs have won four of the Rockets’ last five games.
• The Rockets have lost each of their last three games as favorites following a win.
• The Hawks have covered the spread in 12 of their last 13 games as road underdogs after losing as favorites.
• The Rockets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six home games after winning as underdogs.

Total Points Facts

• Each of the Hawks’ last 10 road games following a home loss have gone OVER the total points line.
• Nine of the Rockets’ last 10 home games following a road win have gone UNDER the total points line.

Houston Rockets Player Facts

• Tari Eason ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
• Alperen Sengun has recorded three games with 5+ assists this season- the most of any player in the league.

Atlanta Hawks Player Facts

• Dyson Daniels ranks 1st amongst qualified players for steals per game (4.3) this season.
• Jalen Johnson is the only qualified player in the league averaging at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 10.0 assists this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Rockets rank T1st in the league for Q1 win percentage this season (100.0%).
• The Rockets rank T1st in the league for H1 win percentage this season (100.0%).
• The Hawks rank 1st in the league for assists per game this season (33.3).
• The Hawks rank T1st in the league for Q4 win percentage this season (100.0%).

The Hawks have again ruled out Henri Veesaar and Mouhamed Gueye, while the Rockets have ruled out Steven Adams, with Marcus Smart listed as questionable. There were plenty of positives to draw from the loss for the Hawks, as they could’ve easily folded when they were down by 20 points, but they found some success late in the game.

However, the Rockets were still good enough to get the job done, and they now receive a little boost with Fred VanVleet expected to return to action here. I think this will be a much closer contest, but I love what I am seeing from players Durant and Thompson, so I will stick with the Rockets to cover the modest line at home.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Houston -5.5