Rockets Look to Swing Season Momentum, Eye Focus on Defense
The Houston Rockets will try to conjure up some winning spirits and improve to 2-4 on the young season as they play host to the Portland Trailblazers at Toyota Center on Tuesday night. Hopefully, Houston is starting to feel a sense of urgency related to the lack of communication and commitment on the defensive end, and their play tonight should emphasize the urgency felt throughout the locker room and the arena, as the team has yet to win a home game this season. Just to put things in perspective, the Rockets had 25 wins when they lost their 5th game of the season after the team’s blazing 25-4 start to last year’s campaign. A loss tonight against Portland would put the Rockets at 1-5, taking them a mere 6 games to record 5 losses, after last year it took them more than a third of the entire season to get the 5th L of the year. I’m expecting the Rockets to come out with the team’s hungriest, most energized game of the season as they try and put the first home W on the board. Other players will have to step up as the Beard, Ennis, Knight, and Nene remain out with injuries. Look for CP3, EG, and maybe even Carmelo Anthony, if he carries any momentum over from his biggest scoring night of the year in the previous game, to have big nights for Houston en route to a victory. The Rockets need to focus in on Blazers star Damian Lillard, who has been a Rocket killer his entire career and is off to a fast start this season. If they can contain Lillard and McCollum, as well as control the glass with improved defensive communication, Houston should finally win a game in front of what should be the most raucous, rowdiest crowd the team has played in front of this season.
Toyota Center – Houston, Texas
7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet