Battle of the James’: Rockets, Lakers Clash in Space City Showdown
Tread Lightly. Raising a Brow. Dreamchasers.
“If you don’t know who I am, then maybe your best course would be to tread lightly.” One of Walter White’s best quotes from AMC’s iconic series, Breaking Bad. An egotistical brash of arrogant confidence. The kind ready to be displayed for a national audience in an epic showdown this Saturday night at Toyota Center. The Rockets and Lakers finally meet for the first time this season. James Harden. LeBron James. Russell Westbrook. Anthony Davis. You know the names, but do you really know the teams? The Rockets have lost three of their last four games. Brodie led a team meeting in the locker room after Houston suffered the second loss in as many nights to a losing team. Hopefully, the Rockets took Westbrook’s words about playing with more intensity to heart. Houston needs to turn it up, as the best in the West, the Lakers, come to town for a prime-time showdown. LeBron James is putting another MVP-caliber season on his resume, as he has the Lakers off to conference-leading 33-8 record at the midway point. The Rockets are well aware of the threat King James brings to the court. P.J. Tucker will guard LeBron as much as possible, but he’ll need obvious help. Houston will need to step up on defense as a unit to hold back the freight train that’s still LeBron James, even at age 35. The Beard is coming off his worst game of the season. Nonetheless, the Lakers bring out the best in Harden. Expect both James to be ready for the bright lights.
Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ newest prized center, is questionable tonight with an injury. The Brow’s had injury history his entire career. He’s never played more than 75 games in a season. Can he make it to the playoffs healthy? Probably? Can he make it through facing top tier Western playoffs teams? Probably not. It’s something the Lakers will have to deal with, but they’ve been fine so far this season. Los Angeles is currently 4 games ahead of Denver for the top spot out West. As the Lakers ponder whether the Brow will play, Houston has their own eyebrows to raise. The Rockets have been their worst enemy this season. Houston has eight losses to teams under .500. Tops in the NBA. At least the Lakers are well-above .500. If Houston loses tonight, they’re clearly (for now) worse than the Lakers. Austin Rivers is out with a thumb injury, meaning the Rockets frail rotation’s already become thinner. However, Coach Mike D’Antoni stressed that he’ll play two bigs against the Lakers. If Mike’s a man of his word, Isaiah Hartenstein should thankfully see more action. Look for Harty to own a thin Lakers front-line on the hustle end, especially if Davis is out. Harty’s been improving almost with each game, it’s just a shame he hasn’t seem more playing time. That should change tonight, or D’Antoni will face brow-raising criticism.
Harden’s Rockets and LeBron’s Lakers. Two teams chasing their ultimate dream this season. For LeBron, it’s to win a title for a third different franchise and restore glory to a historic Lakers franchise. For Harden, winning a championship in Houston, with all the hate the Beard and his squad receives, with would be the stuff of legends. It’s more than likely that one of these teams will achieve their dream, come thin June. While the other will still be chasing fading dreams into next season. At the moment, the teams are trending in opposite directions. Houston’s dropped three of four contests, and gone 5-5 over their last ten games. An average record, which is what they’ve been. Average. Meanwhile, the Lakers, despite losing their last game, have won nine of ten. They’re rolling no matter who takes the court and no matter who they play. LeBron knows what’s at stake. Seeding’s crucial for the West’s top seed this season. Houston can get back in the picture with a monumental victory over LeBron and the Lakers. This matchup’s importance cannot be understated. A win moves the Rockets within five games of the Lakers. A loss puts Houston seven games back, as we reach the season’s half-way point. Everyone knows LeBron… face of the league, the GOAT in the eyes of some. But how well do you know the James Harden? He’s coming off his worst game of the year. After a terrible start last season, it was a home game against LeBron’s Lakers that sparked the Beard’s Ungradable Tour. Harden had 50 points that night, and never looked backed. The Rockets need a similar kind of spark RIGHT NOW this season. Everyone knows LeBron James. Face of the league. Constant Jordan comparisons. Most players think they know Harden, and what he’s got in his bag of tricks. But in case they don’t… their best course would be to tread lightly.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Los Angeles Lakers (33-8): Yellow
Houston Rockets (26-14): “Space City” White
TV: 7:30 PM CT – ABC