Rested Rockets Host Trail Blazers for First Time This Season
Rest Advantage. Blazing in with Controversy. Wobble Bobble.
Fresh off a rare two days off, the Rockets resume action on Wednesday night as they welcome the Portland Trail Blazers to town. This is the final game of a three-game home-stand for Houston. The Rockets are 1-1 so far during this stretch, and tonight they face a Blazers team coming off a tough loss last night in Oklahoma City. Portland was so angry, they filed a protest with the league to have the final seconds replayed. Protests in the NBA very, very rarely get upheld. If it was the Blazers and Thunder would resume the final seconds of their game last night, which OKC won by two points. Portland’s Head Coach Chauncey Billups was ejected late in the game after he insisted his point guard, Malcolm Brogdon, called a timeout, but instead the refs called Brogdon for a turnover, resulting in the swing of momentum towards OKC and them garnering the win.
Coming into tonight, the Rockets have the major rest advantage, but Houston still needs to be sharp coming out of the gates. The Blazers are coming off a tough loss last night, a game in which they feel they were cheated. Expect Portland to come into Toyota Center tonight playing with a little angry motivation. The Rockets just played another angry team, the Boston Celtics. Luckily for Houston, the Blazers are not in the same tier as the Celtics in terms of quality of opponent. Portland will be in the lottery hunt, while Boston will be hunting for a Championship. Regardless, the Rockets still have plenty of talented players to worry about on Portland’s side. The Blazers have a solid starting lineup, despite boasting a 12-31 record. They just have no depth. Guard Anfernee Simons is arguably their best player, along with forward Jerami Grant. They acquired center De’Andre Ayton from the Suns this past offseason. Jabari Walker has been emerging as solid role player since starting at Power Forward for Portland over the last five games. And rookie Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in the draft, is showing improvement after a rough first half to his NBA career.
Good news for the Houston tonight: Jabari Smith Jr. will return to action after missing the loss to Boston. Jabari sprained his ankle late in the Rockets’ overtime win against the Jazz on Saturday night. He’ll be ready to suit up tonight against these young Blazers. It’s Jalen Green Bobblehead Night tonight at Toyota Center. And no one has the spotlight on him more than Green, regardless of Bobblehead Night or not. Jalen has been incredibly inconsistent this season, and contrary to Sengun, Green hasn’t experienced a third-year leap in improvement that many people expected entering this season. Can the third-year guard finally start to swing some efficient performances together against a below-0average Portland team? Hopefully tonight will be the start of a second-half turnaround for Green, as the Rockets also play inferior completion in their next two games, which will be on the road. Tonight, at home, is the night Jalen needs to turn his season around and put a fresh start as we enter the final 40 games of the season.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Portland Trail Blazers (12-31): Red
Houston Rockets (20-22): Black
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass