Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans preseason game preview

No, we’re not going to overreach to a single preseason game.

That goes in both directions. We’re not going to wring our hands over Amen Thompson going 1-9 from the field or that the players that figure to feature heavily for the Rockets this season didn’t shoot particularly well from deep (4-14). We’re also not going to crown Ime Udoka for fixing the defense. There’s so many caveats to one game that it’s barely worth analyzing.

Obviously, we’d all like Dillon Brooks to stay on the court. Whether or not you believe the flagrant-2 was justified or not, Houston’s going to need their $80 million man to be available. Brooks brings a tenacity that’s going to give Houston interesting lineup possibilities. I’m already salivating at lineups that include some combination of Brooks, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., and Jae’Sean Tate.

Either way, I think treating the second game the same way as the first game is the way to go for Houston Rockets fans. Think of it as a fresh start. After all, you can’t have trends after just one game.

Tip-off is at 7pm CT on Rockets.com