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2020-21 NBA title contenders Brooklyn Nets take on the struggling Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center on Wednesday.
The Brooklyn Nets are missing Kevin Durant but have been irresistible over the recent weeks. Their 8-game unbeaten streak was snapped by the Dallas Mavericks. However, the Brooklyn Nets responded with a hard-fought win over the San Antonio Spurs in their last game.
Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup in that game, although Kevin Durant is not expected to feature before the All-Star break.
The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, will look at the likes of John Wall and Victor Oladipo to deliver huge performances. They have struggled in recent weeks and are in the middle of the worst slump of the season. They have the second-worst offense in the league currently and have also seemingly lost the plot at the other end of the court.
Brooklyn Nets vs Houston Rockets: Three key matchups
With the likes of Christian Wood and Kevin Durant missing, both teams have injury concerns.
The Brooklyn Nets should see the likes of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Jeff Green return to the lineup, with Spencer Dinwiddie a long term-absentee. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, should be able to count on Eric Gordon, although Christian Wood’s absence has obviously hit them the most.
On that note, let's take a look at three player matchups that could be key in the outcome of the match.
#1 James Harden (Brooklyn Nets) vs John Wall (Houston Rockets)
In what might prove to be the biggest matchup of the night, James Harden will look to continue his prolific recent form and outshine John Wall.
He has become the major ball-handler for the Brooklyn Nets in recent games, producing a highly impressive triple-double in his last outing.
John Wall, meanwhile, has been the one consistent performer for the slumping Houston Rockets. He has struggled defensively in recent games but will have to be at his best to cope up with one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA.
Wall will be expected to produce a big performance; he is currently averaging only over 20 points per game.
#2 Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets) vs Victor Oladipo (Houston Rockets)
Kyrie Irving has produced some scintillating performances during the Brooklyn Nets’ recent winning run.
He shot six of his ten 3-point attempts during the last game and could be incredibly difficult to stop for a struggling and out-of-sorts Houston Rockets defense.
Victor Oladipo is currently the Houston Rockets’ second-best player but has flopped in many games in recent weeks. He has been unlucky to miss a few games but will now be looking at a sustained run of performances.
#3 DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets) vs PJ Tucker (Houston Rockets)
DeAndre Jordan’s defensive contributions have played a key role in the Brooklyn Nets’ recent success. He has been a consistent rebounder, allowing the Brooklyn Nets’ offensive players to play more freely.
However, DeAndre Jordan has missed quite a few games this season but remains one of the most impactful players in the Brooklyn Nets roster.
He comes up against a PJ Tucker who is having the worst season of his career statistically. Tucker is shooting at a career-low 37.2% from the 3-point zone, and his point return of 4.5 per game has also been unimpressive.
PJ Tucker will have to be at his defensive best as the Brooklyn Nets have multiple offensive threats, which will be raring to have a go at the embattled Houston Rockets.
