Despite their loss against the Spurs last Sunday, Rockets fans have nothing much to worry about. Even with the upset, John Wall and Eric Gordon gave 27 and 26 points respectively. DeMarcus Cousins also came up big with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Rockets held a six-game winning streak prior to that loss, indicating that the team’s chemistry is finally kicking in. Even bigger, the team was able to set a franchise record of most made 3s with 28 in a blowout victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Though the team remains at 17th in offensive efficiency, Houston post-Harden leads the league in defensive efficiency, which was a huge jump from being 21st previously.
On the other side of the court, Charlotte has been up and down, winning their last game at home after suffering back-to-back losses.
Despite the struggles, LaMelo Ball still went off scoring 34 points in their loss to Utah. The Rookie of the Year candidate has been a consistent offensive threat, averaging 13.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in the 24 games he has played in the pros.
Gordon Hayward has also been showing up for the Hornets, proving that he’s not only healthy – he’s back! He’s averaging 23.1 points and 5.5 rebounds compared to his 14.5-point production back in Boston. This gives Charlotte the perfect first and second option: a talented rookie set to be the next face of the franchise and a reliable veteran leading the young team.
These teams may not be as star-studded as the others but you can expect an exciting battle between the two potential playoff contenders.
