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Game 16: Houston Rockets Vs. Philadelphia 76ers Preview

ByBrian K. Patterson|

This seems like a bad dream for the Houston Rockets.

We’re almost done with November and these guys already have 10 losses, a mark that wasn’t hit until about January of last year.

It’s quite alarming for this team that was expected to do so much more for this season.

I’m frustrated, you’re probably frustrated and I’m not sure how the team feels as they seem to be nonchalant about the whole thing.

They are losing by less of a margin but this team is too experienced to be losing games and acting like they’ve forgotten how finish games correctly.

This past match up with the Grizzlies was certainly a winnable one but they just could not put the ball in hoop. The 4th quarter was abysmal, not completing a field goal until the two-minute mark of the 4th quarter.

That’s gotta change.

They will face the 0-16 Philadelphia 76ers tonight and I have a bad feeling that they’re going to let this team come in and use us a springboard to get off the schneid.

It’s painful to say but I’m not ruling it out of the question.

They have the league’s worst offense (89.8 PPG) and their losing streak dates back to last March of last season totaling 26 in-a-row.

This is the worst kind of team to face for the Rockets as the Sixers are hungry for “W.”

We can only hope that it doesn’t happen tonight — it will also be interesting to see the match up of Dwight Howard and rookie center Jhalil Okafor who is averaging close to a double-double per game (18.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG).

Let’s hope for the best.

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So who’s leading the charge for the Sixers?

Okafor is the scoring champ (18.4 PPG) and top shot-blocker (1.80 BPG),Nerlins Noelis the top board-getter (8.4 RPG),T.J. McConnellin dimes (6.2 APG), andRobert Covingtonin steals (2.40 SPG).

Let’s talk about what the Sixers do well.

The Sixers still have a lot of work to do to get better in a lot of categories but here’s what they do:

They love the basketball in their hands.The Sixers are ranked 12th in the league as far as PACE factor, averaging about99.6possessions per game.

Injuries:

Patrick Beverleyreturned to the court in limited action Wednesday against the Grizzwith four, two rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes. I would expect the same for tonight with a slight bump in minutes as he gets his conditioning back from missing the previous five games. With as bad as the Rockets have been in at that position thus far, he’ll need to start as a necessity eventually.

Howardhas been cleared to start playing in back-to-back gamesstarting with this weekend against the New York Knicks Sunday on the road and then the Detroit Pistons Monday. The team hasn’t been much successful without him, usually losing when he’s out. This is glorious news because as I know it’s frustrating for himself and his teammates, it’s just as mind-numbing for us fans because we all know that value of what his presence means in the paint.

Nik Stauskassuffered a left knee contusion earlier this weekand will definitely be out tonight as he heals from that injury that will sideline him through next week.

Tony Wrotenis also suffering from a knee injury and not expectedback until the middle of next month.

Sources: Jonathan Feigen (Houston Chronicle) and Keith Pompey (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Three Things to Watch:

  1. Terrence Jones vs. Noel
  2. Howardvs. Okafor
  3. Will the Rockets allow the Sixers to get off the schneid?

Prediction:

101-90in aRockets’win!

The Rockets take on theSixersat home atToyota Center.

Tip-off is scheduled for7 p.m. CST.

The game will be televised onROOT Sports Southwestand broadcast onSportsTalk 790 AM (KBME)andLa Ranchera 850 AM (KEYH) in Spanish.

Go Rockets!

Next: Rockets Should Get A Badly-Needed Jump Start

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