Game 61 - Houston Rockets 113 - Toronto Raptors 107

[planetmars]

Projected Starters:

Toronto Raptors - JV, Scola, Johnson*, DeRozan, Lowry
Houston Rockets - Howard, Smith*, Ariza, Harden, Beverley

* Powell started for Johnson in Toronto's last game. Motiejunas started for Smith in Houston's last game.


Notes:

• Raptors are trying to extend their home winning streak to 13 games. This is the 3rd game of their 7 game home stand.
• The Raptors and Rockets have not faced off yet this season. Raptors won their last meeting on Mar/30, 2015 with a 42 point effort from DeMar Derozan.
• The Rockets will be coming off a back to back as they will be facing the struggling Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
• DeMar Derozan's name is in the record books as he made 24 straight free throws before missing his final attempt against the Trail Blazers.
• The Raptors have the 4th best winning percentage in the league over taking the OKC Thunder.
• The Rockets recently signed Michael Beasley and Andrew Goudelock. They expect Beasley to get a few minutes against the Raptors on Sunday.
• The Raptors are early 6.0 point favourites to win this game.

Let's go Raptors!

[Niagara Raptor]

ive never liked the rockets and i dont like howard or harden, i hope we crush them

i love it when i read a report from the trade deadline that when Morey called us about acquiring Howard, it was an emphatic NO from Massai

[Hotshot]

ive never liked the rockets and i dont like howard or harden, i hope we crush them

i love it when i read a report from the trade deadline that when Morey called us about acquiring Howard, it was an emphatic NO from Massai

Declining often injured big man with attitude problems who got Stan Van Gundy fired and is a daddy to multiple kids with multiple women. Thanks Houston you are too kind! and with ISO Harden running the show and playing defense when he feels like it and is responsible for Kevin mchale firing then they get what they deserved.

[GLF]

I haven't really been following Houston but from looking at their roster I'm kind of shocked that they are where they are. At the end of the day they have a lot of talented players on their team. You would think by talent alone they would be a lot better. We definitely can't take them lightly. If we do we will get beat. They have a few guys who can go off at any time

[douby leave me]

i'm really hoping for a convincing Raps win, followed by an entertaining Rockets locker room blow-up afterward. maybe Josh Smith can go off on his (new) (old) team again? gotta keep that trend going!

[Bendit]

ive never liked the rockets and i dont like howard or harden, i hope we crush them

i love it when i read a report from the trade deadline that when Morey called us about acquiring Howard, it was an emphatic NO from Massai

If I recall correctly the phone was hung up not because of our possible interest in Howard but rather that the Rockets were looking for Jonas in exchange.

[Bendit]

I haven't really been following Houston but from looking at their roster I'm kind of shocked that they are where they are. At the end of the day they have a lot of talented players on their team. You would think by talent alone they would be a lot better. We definitely can't take them lightly. If we do we will get beat. They have a few guys who can go off at any time

I understand that this is another case of the inmates running the asylum. Apparently Harden had much to do with McHale being fired (he probably asked Harden to trim his beard or worse to play a little D). Then they replace him with Bickerstaff (unfair to note this since I have no idea what kind of coach he is) and reacquire that friendly locker room presence in Josh Smith.

[Bendit]

Op...please replace opponent w/Rockets not Portland (under the pics).

[A.I]

Powell needs to continue to start with Carroll out.

[Scraptor]

This may very well mark the return of Michael Beasley.

Putting together James Harden, Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and Michael Beasley could make for a more entertaining reality show than the US presidential race.

[3inthekeon]

From Vantage Sports today:

Houston Rockets – Allowing Offensive Players to Drive Past Defenders

The Rockets have been an absolute mess defensively this season and rank last in Keep-in-Front% at 54.2. Overall, the defense ranks 23rd in Points Against per Shot at 1.02.

Every single Rockets perimeter player who plays significant minutes ranks as below average for their positions, except for James Harden – who at 47.1 Keep-in-Front% ranks just above the positional mean.

Though they look the part defensively, Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza haven’t performed well in the past two seasons on-the-ball defensively, and both rank among the worst at their positions. Jason Terry can’t keep anyone in front of him, and players are averaging a ridiculous 1.17 Points Against per Shot on Terry.

The Rockets are incredibly disorganized on defense, which puts Dwight Howard and the other bigs in tough positions. Rim protection starts on the perimeter, and no one on the Rockets is currently putting their bigs in positions to succeed.

Corey Brewer has been reliably in the wrong places and gets backdoor cut as often as any player in the league, and the Rockets’ big men have no shot at making the rotation when the defense on the perimeter breaks down completely.

[Hotshot]

This may very well mark the return of Michael Beasley.

Putting together James Harden, Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, and Michael Beasley could make for a more entertaining reality show than the US presidential race.

It will take days for the ACC cleaning crew to air out the smell of weed from the visitors locker room.

[tonious35]

Powell needs to continue to start with Carroll out.

AYE to that mayte

[planetmars]

Op...please replace opponent w/Rockets not Portland (under the pics).

Whoops.. Copy/paste mistake.. fixed, thanks!

[DanH]

From Vantage Sports today:

Well, it's not like the Raptors have the number one and number ten players league wide in drives per game so I'm sure that won't come into play at all.