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.
https://t.co/Br0aDT9Q7P pic.twitter.com/bk2d5app0C
— David Weiner (@BimaThug) March 26, 2022
