In the last of two nationally televised opening night NBA games, the Houston Rockets will travel to the Staples Center to take on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Houston Rockets are coming off a season that saw them win 54 games and lose in the first round of the playoffs. While the regular season results were encouraging, the first round playoff exit against Portland certainly was not.
Houston had a disappointing offseason, one that saw them lose F Chandler Parsons to Dallas and miss out on prying All-Star F Chris Bosh away from the Miami Heat. F Trevor Ariza and G Jason Terry were brought in to provide some experience and leadership. Depth could be an issue for this team and it’s likely that they take a small step backward in season two of the James Harden and Dwight Howard pairing.
The Los Angeles Lakers would love to forget about last season. It was a season that saw the Lakers decimated by injuries and win just 27 games. Los Angeles had players miss 319 games last season, and aging guards Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash combine to play in only 21 games.
This offseason the Lakers replaced former coach Mike D’antoni with former Los Angeles Lakers guard Byron Scott. Scott understands the Lakers culture of championships but has not had great success as a head coach. Los Angeles lost F Pau Gasol in free agency to the Chicago Bulls. However, the team added Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Jeremy Lin, and drafted F Julius Randle with the 7th overall selection. If Kobe returns to play at an elite level, it’s conceivable that he could carry this roster to a playoff berth.
PICK: HOUSTON ROCKETS -6
This is a tough match-up for Kobe and the Lakers right out of the gate. James Harden is one of the best two guards in the league and Houston has had recent success playing under the bright lights of Los Angeles. Nick Young will be out of the Lakers as he recovers from surgery for a torn ligament in his right thumb. Houston Rockets win and cover ATS in a BLOWOUT!!!
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