Rockets Desperate for a Win, Host Struggling Trail Blazers
City Debut. Rocket Killer. Desperation Time.
On Friday night, the Rockets will unveil their “City Edition” court and uniforms, as Houston plays host to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Rockets are coming off their most disappointing loss of season, falling to the Pistons at home on Wednesday. If Houston wants to end their 9-game losing streak, they need to focus a the free throw line and take care of the ball. The Rockets have been terrible from the foul line lately, and that’s unfortunate, because Houston is finding ways to get to the line. They just can’t knock them down. Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green have their hands full tonight, as they square off against one of the NBA’s best backcourts, Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Tonight will be a tougher test than Wednesday, as the Blazers are expected to make the playoffs. Portland usually gets off to rough starts, but this season is different. They have a new coach in Chauncey Billups, and Damian Lillard is off to a struggling start. Don’t be surprised if Dame finds his rhythm again tonight.
Lillard has been a Rocket-Killer over his career. From ending Houston’s season roughly five years ago in the playoffs, to countless big games and shots he’s had against the Rockets, Lillard seems to thrive playing against Houston. The squad needs to buckle down defensively to ensure the clock never hits “Dame Time” at Toyota Center. Hopefully, the Rockets can come out with a better second half, and specifically third quarter on Friday. Houston has struggled mightily coming out of the break. Also, Christian Wood needs more touches down the stretch than he’s seen in the past two games. Don’t forget about the big fella!
It’s desperation time. No one likes losing, let alone losing streaks. And with a loss tonight, the skid would hit double-digits: 10 losses in a row. If Houston wants to avoid another defeat, they need to come out firing and build a big lead. Lillard is bound is have a big game tonight, and the Rockets can’t afford to fall behind early against a desperate Portland team trying to get their season back on track. Other than the Blazers’ star backcourt, Jusuf Nurkic will pose problems for Christian Wood and Daneil Theis in the paint. Hopefully, we see a return of Alperen Sengun, who’s missed the last two games. The Rockets play more smoothly with Sengun on the floor. Regardless, containing Nurkic is key if Houston wants to finally win a game. The jerseys the Rockets will be wearing tonight are a nod to the throwback pinstripe era with a mix of the old signage. Hopefully the team channels better times, and breaks the losing streak with a win over Portland tonight… do it for the city.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
Portland Trail Blazers (5-7): Red
Houston Rockets (1-10): Navy Blue “City Edition”
TV: 7 PM CT – AT&T Sportsnet SW