Rockets Looking for Payback Against Pelicans in New Orleans
Return the Favor. Beard vs. Brow. Road Bumps?
Thank you, New Orleans. The Rockets needed a punch in the mouth (what turned out to be a quarter of a season’s worth) to wake up. Houston won a franchise-record 65 games last year. It took a few punches to show them the past doesn’t mean they can just show up, and expect the same success in the following season. The Pelicans started all the WCF hangover talk with their thumping of the Rockets in Houston’s home opener to start the season. A lot has changed since October 17th, the night New Orleans came in to Toyota Center and put a damper on the Rockets’ new season. After that night, for a majority of the start to the season, the Pelicans looked like a legitimate Western Conference playoff team. And, Houston, well, was shocked. And played like they were stunned for the first quarter of the season. Until their MVP’s recent astonishing play, the Rockets looked like they were worse than last year’s team. Houston finally woke up. The Rockets are 8-1 in their last 9 games and have turned things around despite Chris Paul’s absence in the past 3 games (all victories) against playoff-caliber competition. Tonight, the Rockets look to get revenge for their opening night loss. The squad travels to New Orleans, to take on Anthony Davis and the sliding Pelicans. New Orleans just snapped a 5-game losing streak last night, by narrowly beating Dallas, and the Pelicans are fading from the crowded Western Conference playoff picture. As for the Rockets, they continue to rise in the standings and are only 2 games in the loss column behind the Warriors, as they creep up the standings while the Beard reminds the NBA why he’s still the MVP. James Harden continues to play the best stretch of basketball in his career, and has resurrected a team whose hopes for a championship were once a lost cause. The Pelicans also boast one of the NBA’s best, in Anthony Davis, by far the biggest challenge Clint Capela faces in a matchup all season. Capela has been playing extremely hard on the glass, and has been efficiently productive, playing like a real All-Star, under the radar during Harden’s tear and return to the MVP discussion. The Rockets look to return the favor. Repaying the beat-down they received on opening night to a Pelicans team that is more associated with Anthony Davis trade-rumors at the moment than making the playoffs (even though they’re still in the mix). The Rockets have won 12 of their past 13 home games. Hopefully, a few road bumps won’t affect their groove as they try and gain more ground in the West over a New Orleans team that has been going in the wrong direction since opening night. This is a huge game considering 3 of the next 4 are on the road, with each game being against a playoff team in the West. Included in this upcoming stretch of games is the first road meeting of the season with the Warriors at Oracle on January 3rd. The Pelicans always seem to play their best against Houston, and the Rockets will really need to be sharp if they want to come out of New Orleans with a victory. The rebounding battle is the most important aspect of this game, along with containing Anthony Davis (who only had 48 points and 17 rebounds last night against the Mavs). If Capela and the Rockets continue to dominate the glass like they have been, and Harden continues his all-time season, Houston shouldn’t have a problem getting revenge in New Orleans on Saturday night. This time, they’re ready to punch back.
Smoothie King Center: New Orleans, Louisiana
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (19-15): “Earned” Crimson Red
New Orleans Pelicans (16-20): “Earned” White
TV: 6 PM CT – NBA TV & ATT Sportsnet SW