Game 75: Houston Rockets At Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
We’re all witnesses to the Houston Rockets total breakdown of offensive scheme in the waning minutes of Sunday’s match up against the Indiana Pacers.
The total dysfunction that we saw pretty much has summed up how the whole season has gone for this team; and, of course we fell to the Pacers 104-101.
The inconsistency has become a nightmare that I hope that will end soon.
The Rockets will take on the 52-21 Cleveland Cavaliers, the favorite out of the Eastern Conference to win the championship but they’ll be LeBron-less tonight who will be resting.
I hope we have concerted effort but they honestly don’t need him to beat us as they’re tremendously loaded throughout their roster.
Tonight’s tilt will be on the national stage as we are the prime-time headliner on TNT, so let’s hope they make us proud.
I won’t hold my breath though.
So who’s leading the charge for the Cavs?
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LeBron James is the leading scorer (25.0 PPG), the assist man (6.6 APG) and steals king (1.40 SPG). Kevin Love is the top board-getter (9.9 RPG) and Timofey Mozgov is the premier shot-blocker (0.70 BPG).
Let’s talk about what the Cavs do well.
They’re balanced on both ends of the floor. The Cavs are 4th in the NBA in offensive efficiency, putting up 108.1 points per 100 possessions. They’re also 10th in defensive efficiency, allowing just 102.3 points per 100 possessions.
They wipe the glass clean. The Cavs are tied for 2nd in the league — with the San Antonio Spurs — in rebound rate, with the team rebounding 52.4 percent of missed shots.
They keep the ball moving. The Cavs are tied for 9th — along with the Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic — in assist ratio with 17.4 percent of their possessions ending with an assist.
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Injuries:
LeBron James has been an incredible workhorse for the Cavs this season and with it winding down as well as a playoff berth clinched for the team awhile ago, they’ll will rest him tonight. He has already been ruled as OUT.
Kyrie Irving rested in the Cavs’ Saturday game against the New York Knicks and should be good to go for tonight.
Mo Williams has been suffering from a knee injury and is being brought along slowly. He scored eight points in 13 minutes of action in the Cavs’ 107-93 win over the Knicks.
Sources: Dave Mcmenamin of ESPN, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland.com
Next: Rockets: Big Changes Are Coming
Three Things to Watch:
- Patrick Beverley vs. Kyrie Irving
- James Harden vs. Matthew Dellavedova
- Donatas Motiejunas vs. Kevin Love
- (Bonus) Trevor Ariza vs. Tristan Thompson
- (Double-Bonus) Dwight Howard vs. Timofey Mozgov
Prediction:
108-102 in a Rockets’ loss.
The Rockets are on the road to take on the Cavs at Quicken Loans Arena.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CDT.
The game will be televised on TNT and broadcast on SportsTalk 790 AM (KBME), Sirius/XM 80 & Internet 890 and La Ranchera 850 AM (KEYH) in Spanish.
Go Rockets!