Can Houston bounce back against the high-scoring Pacers?
The two games against the Indiana Pacers last year were indicative of the sort of team the Houston Rockets were last season. Whereas many teams, like the Pacers, were built to win shootouts, the Rockets won a single game in which both they and their opponents scored 120 points or more, and that was the overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Basically, if Houston’s opponent scored 120, the Rockets had zero chance of winning.
“Wow, AK,” I can hear you saying with the most sarcasm you’ve ever mustered, “When one team gives up a lot of points they generally lose. What glorious insight you’ve provided! Nobody wins when they give up a lot of points. It’s the NBA.”
And you’re right, of course. Except, the Pacers won sixteen games last season in which both teams scored 120 points or more. That included one contest against Houston. This season, Indiana already has three wins of that variety, half of their total. Houston, of course, has zero.
So this is a battle of concepts, if you will. Indiana wants to blitz Houston, or at least hang around until they go on a big run. The Rockets, on the other side, will try to drag Indiana into the mud. We saw the Rockets dismantle a Chicago team that was first in pace, and maybe tonight will go similarly. But the Pacers probably won’t give up as many semi-transition buckets as the Bulls did. Plus, Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam would each be the best player on the Bulls, so the talent level is a different beast.
We’ll be in the Playback room tonight, so you should come join to watch the Rockets and talk about the game. Remember, we get a handful of VIP passes that we give out to anyone who wants to watch the game. No League Pass necessary!
Tip-off
7pm CT
How To Watch
Space City Home Network
Injury Report
Rockets
Steven Adams: DTD
Pacers
Aaron Nesmith: OUT
Andrew Nembhard: OUT
Myles Turner: GTD
Ben Sheppard: GTD
Johnny Furphy: GTD
The Line (as of this post)
N/A
Check here for updates
Looking ahead because we can
Friday night at home against the Blazers
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