Rockets Visit Magic, Seeking to End Skid
The Imposter. Legit Chance. Magical Touch.
The Houston Rockets travel to Orlando, home of Disney World, the “happiest place on Earth, to take on the Magic. Tonight’s contest is a battle of teams who sit at the bottom of their respective conferences. This game was slated to be a matchup between two of the top three picks in this year’s past draft, but Jabari Smith Jr. is injured for Houston, and won’t suit up for tonight’s tilt. The Magic are off to a 2-8 start, but they all’s not bad in Orlando. They drafted the guy the Rockets really needed, in my opinion, and the best rookie, in Paolo Banchero with the first overall pick. Bacnhero has exceed the hype since the season began. He’s already topped the 30-point mark in multiple games, and continues to show signs of s superstar in the making. Alperen Sengun and the Rockets will have their hands full trying to contain the young, spry Banchero on the floor.
Tonight, Houston is trying to snap a six-game losing streak. No offense to Orlando, but the Rockets are in about as best a spot as they could be in this situation. Only 4 out of the NBA’s 30 teams have less than 3 wins, and that includes the Magic, and also the Rockets. In other words, after a brutal start to the schedule, Houston has a legitimate chance to steal a victory in Orlando tonight. It still won’t be easy, as every NBA team has professionals fighting for playing time, roster spots, etc. However, if Houston can gather a mindset comparable to facing a champion, they should out-hustle the Magic in this game. Both teams are young, but the Rockets hold the slight edge in that category, and expect a lot of transition basketball in Orlando on Monday night. Whoever wins the battle on transition is the key to tonight’s game.
Speaking of transitions, the Rockets counterparts in their hometown, the Houston Astros, are fresh off winning their second World Series title, beating the Philadelphia Phillies to win the championship on Saturday night. Hopefully, the Rockets can gain some inspiration from the energy the Astros have brought the city during their dynastic run over these past six years. And maybe, just maybe, they can muster enough championship-caliber effort to snag that elusive second of win the season… and make Houston an even happier sports town as the city continues to be rampant with Astros fever,
Amway Center: Orlando, Florida
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (1-9): Red
Orlando Magic (2-8): Magic
Tip-Off: 6:15 PM CT
TV: AT&T Sportsnet SW, NBA League Pass