Game 56 Preview: Houston Rockets (30-26) at Brooklyn Nets (33-22)

Game 56 Preview: Houston Rockets (30-26) at Brooklyn Nets (33-22)
The Rockets acquired the 5th-overall pick in this past summer's Draft, Thomas Robinson, from the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night for a package built around Patrick Patterson 

When: 7:30 PM: Friday, February 22nd, 2013

Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY

TV: YES Network

UPDATE: Due to plantar fascitis, Joe Johnson won't play this evening, missing his first game as a Net. C.J. Watson will start in his place.

The Nets are riding a four-game winning streak at the moment, which was augmented by a home-and-home sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday and Wednesday. That Wednesday, the Rockets were winning a major game of their own, just hours after seriously shaking up their roster. Houston, led by former Thunder player James Harden's 46 points, defeated Oklahoma City that night even with the pall hanging over their team following the jettisoning of Patrick Patterson, Cole Aldrich, and Toney Douglas to Sacramento in exchange for Thomas Robinson and Tyler Honeycutt.

The day was certainly an eventful one for the Rockets, who look much different than they did on January 26th when they crushed the Nets in Houston by a score of 119-106. The acquisition of Robinson really gives them a lot more athleticism and explosive talent in the front-court and makes them a much more well-rounded team overall. Also, beating the Thunder gives this team massive confidence that they can hang with the best teams in the NBA, which, when combined with Robinson, makes for a dangerous circumstance for the Rockets' opponents.

Probable Lineups

HOU- Lin (PG), Harden (SG), Delfino (SF), Parsons (PF), Asik (C)

BKN- Williams (PG), Watson (SG), Wallace (SF), Evans (PF), Lopez (C)

Final Thoughts

The Rockets score the most points per game of any team in the NBA, and especially kill teams from deep. Perimeter defense has been an issue for the Nets the whole season but if they want to break their 12-game losing streak to Houston tonight, the Rockets are going to need to be contested from all around the court.

Arrow to top