For fans hoping to see Kevin Durant’s debut with the Houston Rockets is going to have to wait a little bit longer. Durant is not going to play tonight against the Atlanta Hawks and Houston is going to roll with a starting lineup of Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr, and Alperen Sengun.
Rockets starters:
Reed Sheppard
Amen Thompson
Tari Eason
Jabari Smith Jr.
Alperen Sengun
Kevin Durant is OUT for tonight’s game. He’ll play Wednesday vs Utah, per Ime Udoka.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) October 6, 2025
The Rockets are projected to be among the best teams in the NBA, but we will have to wait a little longer to see how they look with their biggest offseason acquisition.
As for the Hawks, there are plenty of players to watch tonight against Houston.
Sep 29, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Atlanta Hawks forward Asa Newell (14) poses for a photo during Media Day. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
I don’t think there is a player that Hawks fans want to see more than Porzingis. He is perhaps the most talented big man that Trae Young has ever played with in his career and his ability to stretch the floor and provide rim protection are why so many are high on the Hawks heading into this season.
Porziņģis averaged 19.5 points, shooting a career-best .412% from three-point territory, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes during the 2024-25 season (.483 FG%, .809 FT%). His .412% from deep ranked 25th in the NBA last season amongst all players and was the second-highest clip amongst all 7-footers, trailing only Karl-Anthony Towns.
He knocked down a career-high tying eight three-pointers twice during the 2024-25 season (Jan. 29 vs. Chicago, April 8 at New York), the only 7-footer in the league to have multiple games with at least eight three-pointers. He owns four career outings with eight made triples, the only 7-footer in league history to have four such games.
If not Porzingis, Johnson is going to be the guy that Hawks fans want to see the most tonight.
The last time we saw Jalen Johnson, he was headed off the court in a loss to the Toronto Raptors, and he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He looked to be ascending towards his first All-Star game until his season was cut short. Johnson is one of the best young talents in the game, and if he continues to improve, the Hawks’ ceiling will only get higher.
Every team wants to see their first round pick in action for the first time.
Newell did play in Summer League of course, but this is going to be the first chance that we have had to see him play with guys like Trae Young and the other Hawks starters. Newell’s role is a bit unclear heading into the season as being a rookie on a contending team can be a tough thing as far as playing time and projection, but the Hawks are in a position where they can bring Newell along slowly. Tonight is going to be the first chance to see what his potential might be for this season.
