Rockets vs. Pistons game preview: reeling Rockets look to snap skid

The Houston Rockets have dropped three straight games, as well as five of their last six contests. Tonight, they head to Detroit to take on Christian Wood’s former team.

The early returns on the Wood deal are that the Rockets got a steal for 3 years, $41 million. Wood has shown glimpses of superstardom, and the Anthony Davis comparisons (while premature) don’t seem so outrageous with each passing game. That being said, Wood rolled his ankle against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. He did return to the game, but anyone who has rolled an ankle has woken up the following morning to a humongous ankle due to swelling.

The Pistons are 3-11, but their three wins are over the Celtics, Suns, and Heat. So they are capable of beating good teams. Jerami Grant left Denver to get more of an offensive role, and Detroit has rewarded him with plenty of opportunities. Grant is averaging 25 points per game. Usually when players increases their usage rate, their shooting decreases because they are generally taking more difficult shots. Grant, however, is shooting at basically the exact same clip as last year. The turnovers are up, but he’s still only turning the ball over 1.4 times per game, so it’s not bad. The Pistons also feature Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, Delon Wright, and Wayne Ellington.

Talent-wise, the Rockets should be able to win this game. However, Houston has struggled to stop anyone defensively and have been playing from behind in their last three contests. That’s not a formula for success if you don’t have an all-world player like James Harden on the roster.

Kevin Porter Jr. almost certainly won’t be available.

Tip-off is at 6pm CT on AT&T SportsNet Southwest