Rockets Surge into Boston Looking for 5th Straight Win
Mirror Images. One Game. Harden’s Show.
There’s nothing quite like the NBA regular season grind. 82 games. Consistent travel. The wicked wear and tear on the body, both mentally and physically. On Sunday, two teams who’ve seesawed through this season face off. The Houston Rockets visit Beantown to take on the Boston Celtics this afternoon. Preseason expectations for both squads were high. The Rockets were expected to have the best record in the West, up there with Golden State. Instead, Houston’s had a season full of injuries, with part of the roster imitating a game of musical chairs. However, things are starting to lookup for the Rockets. Houston has won their past 4 games, and along with Utah, sport the longest winning streak in the league. Meanwhile, Boston, with a healthy Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, were expected to have the best record in the East. The Celtics have been the most disappointing team in the NBA all season. A squad that was within one game of the NBA Finals last year can’t seem to find its identity this year. The team is battling with some serious chemistry issues. Kyrie Irving changes his mind twice every second. Uncle Drew also seems to thrive in throwing teammates under the bus with his statements to the media. Boston has been wavering around the 4/5 seed in the East, all season. They don’t look poised to move up in the standings. But don’t be fooled, the Celtics are still one the of NBA’s best. The Rockets hope a visit to Boston will keep them moving in the right direction.
Houston now finds themselves only one game behind the third seed in the West. Oklahoma City and Portland are currently tied for third, with the Rockets inching closer with each win. The playoff landscape continues to shift with each game. Including today, the Rockets have a tough stretch of games coming up against some of the East’s beasts. Houston needs Harden at his best to go at least 1-2 during this stretch. But, he’s been at his best all season. And with Chris Paul looking ready to go for the playoffs, the Rockets are in great position to make some late-season noise, despite their spot in the standings. Houston plans to spoil Jayson Tatum’s birthday with a win in Boston, as the Rockets try and extend the NBA’s longest winning streak to 5 games. Houston will have to deal with their worst enemy. The injury bug is floating around again. Gerald Green has strep throat, and Iman Shumpert is still dealing with a typically vague Rockets-injury. There is good news for Rockets fans. Eric Gordon and Kenneth Faried are expected to play. Houston needs EG and the Manimal against this deep Boston lineup. The Celtics are loaded with threats on the perimeter. Gordon’s defense and ability to create offense can help tire some Boston wings. Meanwhile, Faried should be a tough matchup for Horford. Clint Caplea will be guarding him inside but, unlike many opponents Horford faces, Faried isn’t shy to step out to the perimeter to guard big men.
This afternoon, Houston hopes to escape The Hub with a victory, and avoid any late-game letdowns. Last season, Houston had one of the worst collapses of the year in Beantown. Don’t expect that to happen today. The combination of Chris Paul’s leadership and James Harden’s firepower should be enough to overcome the Celtics. Paul has looked rejuvenated, despite some struggles in the previous game. The Point God looks ready to guide Houston to a long postseason run. The streak may be over, but Harden’s level of play hasn’t diminished. The Beard is coming off a monster 58-point game. Harden fueled Houston to a comeback-win in arguably his best performance of the season. The Beard’s had so many epic performances, it’s hard to keep track of them all. However, in their previous game, the Rockets needed Harden more than ever. Down 21 points with a depleted lineup, the Beard had his most MVP-caliber performance of the season, to lead the Rockets to victory. Houston will be looking to give Harden some help this afternoon, as Gordon and the Manimal are expected back from injuries. Nonetheless, they’re still facing the Boston Celtics. One of the beasts of the East. In the national spotlight. The Beard hasn’t taken these opportunities for granted this season. Paul might be the key to the playoffs, but in the grind of an 82-game regular season, it’s Harden’s Show.
TD Garden: Boston, Massachusetts
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (37-25): “Earned” Red
Boston Celtics (38-25): Black
TV: 2:30 PM CT – ABC