As Amen Thompson’s brilliant play continues, the Rockets (32-14) enter Thursday with four straight wins and an 11-3 record in January. That mark includes three flagship victories in the past week, and two on the road, over the Cleveland Cavaliers (38-9) and defending NBA champion Boston Celtics (33-15).

So, is Houston thinking title contention as soon as the 2025 playoffs? Thursday’s show explores reasons for optimism and caution, along with a preview of next week’s in-season trade deadline (Feb. 6) and what moves might make sense for both short- and longer-term considerations.