Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors game preview

The Houston Rockets are close. There’s no other way to look at these past two games in Los Angeles. Houston had chances to take the lead late in both games, but blew opportunities in both. Also, eventually an opponent is going to miss a backbreaking 30-footer, right? Right???

Tonight’s candidate is Chris Paul, he of the Golden State Warriors, though admittedly that’s a bit hopeful on my part. The Rockets are on a back-to-back and the Warriors are coming off a tough overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. So the Dubs are going to be gunning from the start against a tired and down-on-their-luck Rockets squad.

Houston will also be without Tari Eason, who is still easing back from his leg injury. Houston’s bench has been poor without Eason, and that figures to continue tonight.

The Rockets have dealt with foul trouble in both of their Los Angeles games, and that’s going to be a habit that Houston has to curb. If the Rockets want to take their new defensive identity on the road, they have to learn how to defend without fouling.

Due to the quirks of the schedule, this is only Houston’s fifth road game, and in four of them (including tonight), they will have been clear underdogs. They were blown out once (Orlando on Opening Night), and have been in three close games (San Antonio, Clippers, Lakers), so while you’re going to see a lot of “The Rockets suck because they haven’t won a game on the road” takes, Houston is probably fine even if they continue losing on the road. After tonight, Houston’s next road trip is Mavericks-Nuggets (on a back-to-back)-Lakers. After that, they don’t play another road game until December 15 against Memphis, which will probably be the first game all season in which Houston will be road favorite. The rest of that road trip includes Milwaukee and Cleveland, with that being a back-to-back, naturally. Can’t let the Rockets have rest on the road.

Anyway, expect a blowout win for the Warriors tonight.

Tip-off

9pm CT

How to Watch

Space City Home Network

Injuries/Other

Rockets

Amen Thompson-OUT (ankle)

Tari Eason-OUT (leg)

Warriors

Draymond Green-OUT (suspension)

Gary Peyton II-OUT (foot)

Looking ahead because we can

Wednesday at home against the Grizzlies

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