Rockets basketball begins this week

After a long wait, we finally have real, live Houston Rockets basketball being played this week. The Rockets have three games on tap, stating with Tuesday night’s contest against the Memphis Grizzlies. That game tips off at 7pm CST in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Rockets play another game on Thursday night, though this one will take place at the friendly confines of the Toyota Center, as the home squad matches up against the Indiana Pacers. That game starts at 7pm CST as well.

The third game of the week takes place on the road, but just a little across the state, as the Rockets travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs on Sunday afternoon at 3pm CST.

For their part, the Rockets are ready to get on the court, with head coach Mike D’Antoni telling the Houston Chronicle:

”We’re getting better. Every training camp... do you push them enough, do you push them too much? We have a couple guys with bad backs (P.J. Tucker and Gerald Green). You just try to get through it. These are dog days. I’m sure they’re looking forward to Tuesday when they hit somebody else instead of ourselves.

McNeese State’s been super accommodating. The Golden Nugget was super accommodating. There’s just enough distractions to not be super bored. I think guys are very happy.”

The Rockets are incorporating several new pieces into their rotation, and they also have some young talent that you’ll want to keep an eye on, so it should be an engaging preseason.

The Rockets have two more preseason games next week to round out their five-game schedule. They take on the Shanghai Sharks next Tuesday, October 9. That game is at the Toyota Center and has a 7pm CST tip. They finish off the schedule Friday, October 12 with a game in Memphis against the Grizzlies. That game also has a 7pm CST tip.

The Rockets then open up the regular season Wednesday, October 17 at the Toyota Center, where they will take on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Basketball week has finally arrived!