Game 30: Houston Rockets At Orlando Magic Preview
The Houston Rockets pulled it out Monday night!
Despite my projection that they’d succumb to the Charlotte Hornets, both teams were shooting so bad, it became apparent that the Rockets just needed to score enough points to win the game.
And they did.
There will be a lot of games like this where they’re not pretty but the win is somehow able to be secured.
But the Rockets will head up to O-Town for a quick roadie to face the 16-12 Orlando Magic before their marquee Christmas Day match up against the San Antonio Spurs.
This Magic team has grown together as a bunch and they’re now playing stifling defense against their opponents which will certainly get them into the playoffs this year if they keep things going.
Scott Skiles, in his first season with the team as a coach, has got these guys motivated to play hard and it’s starting to show on the stat sheet and in the standings.
Skiles also spent five seasons as a player with the Magic (1989-94) so the surroundings are quite familiar for him. He was quite decent a player when he was in the NBA and still holds the NBA record for most assists recorded in one game (30), a record that’s been intact since Dec. 30, 1990 — nearly 25 years to the day.
So far, it seems he’s the right fit for that team and Rockets definitely don’t need to take them lightly or they’ll be chalking one in the loss column.
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So who’s leading the charge for the Magic?
Big man Nikola Vucevic is the team’s leading scorer (16.5 PPG) and top-board getter (8.8 RPG). Elfrid Payton leads in dimes (6.1 APG) and steals (1.60 SPG). Dewayne Dedmon is in charge of the shot-blocking (1.20 BPG).
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Let’s talk about what the Magic do well.
They’re quite stingy on defense. The Magic are ranked 9th in defensive efficiency, allowing a mere 99.4 points per 100 possessions.
They’re quite decent at moving the ball around. The Magic are ranked 12th in the league as far as assist ratio, with 16.7 percent of their possessions ending with an assist.
Injuries:
Sam Dekker had back surgery and is expected to miss about a couple more months.
Elfrid Payton sustained a sore ankle during Monday’s match up against the New York Knicks and had to exit the game. He did not return and he is officially listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Victor Oladipo will likely be his replacement in the starting lineup if he can’t go.
Sources: Jenny Dial Creech/Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel
Three Things to Watch:
- Dwight Howard vs. Nikola Vucevic
- Patrick Beverley vs. Elfrid Payton?/Victor Oladipo
- Can the Rockets bust through the Magic’s defensive wall?
Prediction:
100-98 in a Rockets’ win!
The Rockets hit the road to take on the Magic at the Amway Center.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST.
The game will be televised on ROOT Sports Southwest/NBA TV and broadcast on SportsTalk 790 AM (KBME) and La Ranchera 850 AM (KEYH) in Spanish.
Go Rockets!