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The Houston Rockets lock horns with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday for their first meeting of the 2020-21 NBA season.
The visiting Houston Rockets will enter this contest on an eight-game losing streak. They have dropped to the 14th spot in the Western Conference with an 11-18 season record. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to snap their ten-game losing streak with a 1-point win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Similar to their opponents, the Cleveland Cavaliers are currently occupying the 14th spot in the East with an 11-21 record. The two teams are pretty evenly matched, considering their recent struggles. The game could potentially mark a turning point for one of the two slumping sides.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs Cleveland Cavaliers - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 7:30 PM ET. (Thursday 6:00 AM IST)
Venue: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets, who were one of the elite teams leading up to the 2020-21 season, are experiencing a nightmare scenario in this campaign. It all started with the 3x scoring champ James Harden asking to be traded away.
The breaking news out of the Houston Rockets' camp is the team waiving their big man, DeMarcus Cousins on Tuesday. Cousins, a former All-Star, averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting a sub-par 37.6% from the floor in 25 games.
The biggest reason behind their struggles is Christian Wood remaining out for an extended period. Even when he returns, there is no guarantee he will be able to play the game at a high level. Their matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers has more trouble brimming as Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon have been listed as questionable for returning to their floor duties.
Key Player – John Wall
The Houston Rockets will once again rely on John Wall as the team could be severely depleted for this matchup. Wall, who was trending upwards post the James Harden saga, is now struggling to hold his ground in their recent stretch.
The 5x All-Star is averaging 20 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds on 43.4% shooting from the field.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
PG John Wall, SG David Nwaba SF Jae'Sean Tate, PF Danuel House, C PJ Tucker
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers' season is spiraling out of control with the team going 1-9 in their last ten outings. Similar to the Rockets with the Cousins situation, the Cleveland Cavaliers have their own big-man woes. They have benched Andre Drummond till he can be included in a deal before the fast-approaching trade deadline.
What makes things worse is the Cleveland Cavaliers' long list of injured players as the team will be without Larry Nance Jr., Taurean Prince, Mathew Dellavedova, and Kevin Love. The Cavs will once again look to Collin Sexton and Jarrett Allen to lead them from the front in this fixture.
Sexton is coming off a 29-point performance in the win over Atlanta, while Allen registered a double-double with 13 points to go along with 14 boards on the night. Meanwhile, Darius Garland posted another big game, chipping in 17 points while dishing out eight assists in an extended 43 minutes from the floor.
Key Player – Collin Sexton
Collin Sexton has been the undisputed MVP of the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. He led the charge in their previous matchup with the Hawks, ending a ten-game losing streak with the win.
Sexton will once again need to carry the load offensively on Wednesday night as the Houston Rockets pay them a visit at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.
Sexton has taken a leap this season, averaging 23.1 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.5 rebounds on 48% shooting from the field.
Cleveland Cavaliers Predicted Lineup
PG Darius Garland, SG Collin Sexton, SF Isaac Okoro, PF Cedi Osman, C Jarrett Allen
Rockets vs Cavaliers Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets enter this game with the 25th worst-rated offense, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are dead last in that category. Both teams are missing several members and this could level the playing field for an entertaining battle on Wednesday night.
The Houston Rockets have not been able to keep their games close in the recent stretch. They could face an uphill battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers' side that would have gained some confidence after defeating the Hawks the other night. The key matchup at the point position between Wall and Sexton could determine the fate of this game. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites to take this one.
Where to Watch Rockets vs Cavaliers?
The game between the Houston Rockets and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be telecast on Fox Sports Ohio and AT&T SportsNet (Southwest). Fans can also live-stream the game via the NBA League Pass.
