Rockets Eye Four Straight Wins, Host LeBron’s Lakers on Wednesday Night
Homecourt Heroes. Break the Throne. Urgency Test.
It’s been a long time since the Rockets had winning record during the season. Not since February 1st, 2021, when Houston was 10-9 during the end of the James Harden era have the Rockets had a record above .500. Houston aims to change that tonight, as they will look to win their fourth straight game and improve to 4-3 on the season. The squad welcomes LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers into the friendly confines of Toyota Center on Wednesday night. LeBron James is still playing at an absurdly high level, despite nearing age 39. James had 30 points in the Lakers latest game, a one point loss in Miami on Monday night. L.A. is 0-4 on the road this season, compared 3-0 at home. Expect LeBron and the Lakers to come out hungry for their first road win tonight. The Rockets are aiming to prevent that, as they debut their Hometown Heroes court and jerseys tonight. The threads honor Houston legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, who helped bring the Rockets their first titles in the 90’s. The uniforms are white with red lettering, and look very slick with a retro appeal.
The Rockets face their toughest test of the young season so far on Wednesday night. Dillon Brooks has already mentioned he’s going to “lock him up” when asked about James. Hopefully Brooks didn’t give James any extra motivation. Dillon the Villain’s been off to a sensational start, but LeBron is still one of the best players in the world, and it’s going to take a complete team-effort on defense to prevent James from delivering a monster performance. Anthony Davis left the game in Miami early and is considered questionable for tonight. The Lakers will be seeing the return of Rui Hachimura to the lineup after he missed several games with an injury. Can Houston push L.A. into an early season 3-5 hole, or will LeBron’s leadership be too much for this young Rockets team to handle? Tonight’s contest is the most intriguing so far on the season. We’ll find out soon enough. Isn’t it time someone showed James he’s over-the-hill? Father time is undefeated… why not start showing signs now? Houston needs to help Brooks on defense, who will be James’ primary, but certainly not only, defender. Besides LeBron, and potentially Anthony Davis, the Rockets need to keep an eye on Austin Reaves. The young guard can be deadly from the perimeter for the Lakers. If the squad leaves Reaves open, they could be in for a long, disappointing evening. Ex-Rocket Christian Wood is also returning to Toyota Center. Wood has been a nice addition for L.A. so far this season, and he’ll be seeking revenge against his former team.
Houston has fared extremely well at home after disappearing late against the Warriors in their home opener. The Rockets are now 3-1 at Toyota Center, compared to 0-2 on the road. This will be the biggest challenge Houston has faced in this early season. Other than the Warriors, they haven’t faced a team with a winning record. Despite having a losing record at 3-4, the Lakers will be playing with a “winning record” mentality. Houston’s young squad has shown vast amounts of confidence playing at home. And they get a jolt of energy in the return of Tari Eason tonight. Eason will make his season debut tonight after being out with an injury he suffered in the preseason. Last year, Eason was an energizer bunny for the Rockets. He should mesh back into his role seamlessly, although he may be on a minute-restriction for his first game. Expect tonight’s matchup to be closer than either of the Sacramento games. We’re likely in for a close game tonight, if the NBA doesn’t interfere. LeBron James has already started compiling about his lack of free throws, which won’t help the Rockets against an aggressive LeBron tonight. Regardless, whichever teams plays with a greater sense of urgency wins tonight’s contest. Hopefully Houston continues to move the ball on offense, attack the glass, and minimize their turnovers. If the Rockets can hone in on these areas… they’ve got a great shot to obtain their first winning record in a long time.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Los Angeles Lakers (3-4): Purple
Houston Rockets (3-3): “City Edition” White
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass