Rockets Host Harden, Clippers to Begin Two Game Home Series
Part 1. The Beard Returns. Knock Down.
The Houston Rockets welcome James Harden and Los Angeles Clippers to town, as the teams begin a two-game set on Wednesday night. The Clippers are 6-5 so far this season, but they’ve had a fairly difficult schedule to start their campaign. Four of their five losses have come to the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder, both tied for first place in the West. They’ve also beaten the Golden State Warriors, who are also share a spot of first place, and the Denver Nuggets who sit in fourth behind these three teams. Basically, Los Angeles has been tested, and the Rockets will need to bring their “A” game if they want to win at least one of these upcoming two games. A return of Fred VanVleet to the court certainly wouldn’t hurt the Rockets, as the point guard’s status is still questionable.
James Harden makes his first return to H-Town this season. The Beard is far removed from his MVP days in Houston, but Harden is still averaging close to a triple-double a contest, registering nearly 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists a game to start the season. Besides Harden, Los Angeles has Ivica Zubac, who always seems to play well against the Rockets, as their starting center. And Zubac is coming off a 22-point, 14-rebound performance against the OKC Thunder in the Clips previous game. L.A.’s big man will pose a big test for Alperen Sengun, as Houston’s center looks to continue his run of impressive performances over the past couple contests.
If the Rockets want to win this game, they’ll need to shoot the ball with more efficiency. It’s that simple. Houston has struggled knocking down shots all season. They’ve been solid on the defensive end, but if the Rockets can turn their offense around, they should be able to beat the Clips tonight. This game also sees the return of former-Rocket Kevin Porter Jr., who is now on L.A.’s roster. Black Joker could be an X-Factor in this game. Norman Powell and Derrick Jones Jr. could have big games any night. This Clippers team is not to be slept on. Houston is aiming for their first three game winning streak of the season tonight. And against this battle-tested Clips squad, these young Rockets will certainly be tested tonight. Expect a close and exciting matchup as the Rockets and Clippers square off on Wednesday night in the first of two straight at Toyota Center.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Los Angeles Clippers (6-5): White
Houston Rockets (7-4): Black
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass