Twin Series: Rockets Head North for Weekend Series with Wolves
Deja Vu Weekend. Buying into the Rebuild. The Lottery Battle.
Houston heads to Minnesota for the first of a back-to-back in the Twin Cities. The Timberwolves are the only team in the league with a worse record than the Rockets. Houston hopes to take advantage of playing the rare opponent, one who has even less wins than the Rockets, and potentially sweep the weekend. Houston is the more talented team, and it’ll be interesting to observe the squad’s first game after Thursday’s trade deadline that featured many moves within the association.
As was expected, Victor Oladipo was finally dealt, right before the trade deadline, to his preferred destination: the Miami Heat. In return, the Rockets received two veterans: guard Avery Bradley, and forward Kelly Olynyk, along with future draft picks. So… after trading James Harden, the Rockets have essentially taken part in one of the worst trades in NBA history. Houston received nothing close in value to giving away arguably this season’s MVP, and possibly the best offensive player the league has ever seen. With Harden, P.J. Tucker, and Oladipo all departed elsewhere, Houston has fully bought into the rebuild.
Tonight’s tilt in Minnesota could also be viewed as the “Lottery Battle,” with the teams with the two worst records in the NBA going head-to-head this weekend. We’d all love to imagine a world where tanking in pro sports doesn’t exist, but that would be a huge lie. Hopefully, the Rockets have some pride and can take Friday night’s game to begin this Weekend Wolf-Series. Regardless, Houston’s likely to finish with one of the top three worst records in the league. So, win or lose, tonight’s contest is centered on pride, more than how tonight’s result affects these teams’ actual spot in the standings… it’s time to show that H-Town pride again.
Target Center: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (12-31): White
Minnesota Timberwolves (10-34): “City Edition” Black
TV: 7 PM CT – AT&T Sportsnet SW, NBA League Pass