Still holding a slim lead in the 2022 NBA draft race, the Houston Rockets continue the soft portion of their closing 2021-22 schedule on Saturday with part two of a back-to-back at injury-riddled Portland. The rebuilding Rockets won the first game with ease on Friday night.
In the opener, rookie guard Jalen Green was the big story, scoring a game-high 23 points on extremely efficient shooting in under 28 minutes. Just 20 years old, Green was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and he was clearly the most talented player on the floor Friday.
Houston’s next four games are against Portland, San Antonio, and Sacramento (twice). After Saturday, the next three are back home, at Toyota Center. Those three teams rank from No. 11 through No. 13 in the Western Conference, and all are at least 15 games below .500.
While it’s certainly an opportunity for the young Rockets to get some wins and build chemistry, it’s a fine line to walk from a fan perspective, given the potential harm it could do to 2022 NBA draft positioning.
On paper, Saturday could be more challenging for Houston than Friday, since Eric Gordon is likely to sit out — as he does on most back-to-backs. The Rockets are 0-17 when the veteran guard does not play this season.
When and How to Watch
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Date: Saturday, March 26
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Time: 9:00 p.m. Central
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TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest, NBA League Pass
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Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)
Probable starting lineups
Houston Rockets (19-55)
Portland Trail Blazers (27-46)
Both lineups are primarily based on Friday’s starting units, with Mathews over Gordon (due to the back-to-back) as the lone exception.
Injury reports
Neither team will issue its official injury report for Saturday until a few hours before tipoff, since it is the second night of a back-to-back. On Friday, Houston’s injury report was clean. Wing prospects Trevelin Queen and Anthony Lamb, who are each on a two-way contract, remain in the G League due to the surrounding roster’s overall health.
Portland, on the other hand, is ravaged by injuries, starting with the season-ending abdominal injury suffered by Damian Lillard. Beyond their superstar guard, other injury absences for the Trail Blazers include Eric Bledsoe (left Achilles), Josh Hart (left knee), Joe Ingles (left knee), Nassir Little (left shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic (left foot), Anfernee Simons (left knee), Justise Winslow (left calf), and Didi Louzada (left knee).
This post originally appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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