Since the last time these teams met, the Houston Rockets actually won a couple of games and looked like a real basketball team before the All-Star break came and, well…you know. The Charlotte Hornets finally lost a game while getting into a big fight with the Detroit Pistons. Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate are suspended for tonight’s contest due to the dustup.
Still, these teams were heading in opposite directions when the break happened. For the eternally optimistic, that should be a boon for the Rockets and trouble for the Hornets. What I remember from the first matchup between these teams was the clear difference in confidence and energy. Charlotte was playing like a team that was excited to be in the building and the Rockets looked like they just got off a 9-to-5 shift at the quarry and couldn’t wait to go home and take their shoes off.
With a win tonight, the Hornets could be the first (and maybe only?) team to sweep the Rockets this season. I expect Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball, and Kon Kneuppel to each drop 20 tonight.
The Line (as of this post)
Looking ahead because we can
Saturday in New York against the New York Knicks