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The Houston Rockets are set to visit the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, on Saturday to take on the New York Knicks. The Rockets are coming off a loss to the OKC Thunder, which was their 13th defeat in a row. The Knicks, meanwhile, were beaten by the Orlando Magic at home last Wednesday.
The Rockets have the worst record in the NBA at the moment, heading into Saturday's matchup. Expectations were low for Houston heading into the season, but only one win a month into the NBA season was probably not expected. In their previous game, they were easily defeated 101-89 by the Thunder, the only team they have beaten this season.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks are struggling after a strong start to the season. Their defense has been in shambles, with head coach Tom Thibodeau needing to make adjustments. The Knicks suffered a 104-98 loss to the Magic in their most recent game.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Saturday, November 20th; 5:00 PM ET (Sunday, November 21st; 3:30 AM IST).
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets are having a miserable start to the season. They have lost 13 games in a row heading into their clash against the New York Knicks. The Rockets have an overall record of 1-14. They have not won since beating the OKC Thunder in their second game of the season.
The Rockets had a chance to get back to winning ways on Wednesday against the Thunder, but lost 101-89. The game was close in the first quarter before the Thunder took a big lead at the end of the first half. Houston tried to chip the lead away, but their run fell short in the final quarter.
Jalen Green led the Rockets with 21 points, three rebounds and three assists, while Jae'Sean Tate added 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Eric Gordon, who started in place of the injured Kevin Porter Jr., had 15 points, five rebounds and as many assists.
Key Player - Christian Wood
Christian Wood is one of the feel-good stories in the NBA. He went undrafted in 2015, and played in the G League and five NBA team, before landing with the Houston Rockets. Wood had a breakout campaign last season, where he averaged 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
However, Wood's stats are down this season, as he is only averaging 16.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. He only had 10 points and 14 boards against the Thunder, compared to the 31 points on 13-of-19 he had in his previous meeting.
If the Houston Rockets want to end their losing streak, Wood has to be the most dominant player on the court. He has the ability to do that, so it would be a good feeling to not just end the streak, but also end it at the Madison Square Garden.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Green; G - Eric Gordon; F - Jae'Sean Tate; F - Christian Wood; C - Daniel Theis.
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks had lofty expectations heading into the season after their first playoff appearance since 2013 last campaign. The Knicks added Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, while extending Julius Randle's contract. They started the season on fire, beating the Chicago Bulls.
However, the Knicks have gone 4-6 since that statement victory against the Bulls. Their struggles were evident in their 104-98 loss to the Orlando Magic. It was the Knicks' third straight game where they failed to score more than 100 points. The game was tight with less than two minutes left, but the Magic went on a 10-2 run to get the win.
RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, but was inefficient. Alec Burks and Obi Toppin came off the bench to give New York a boost with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Key Player - Julius Randle
Julius Randle led the New York Knicks to their first postseason appearance since 2013 last season. Randle had a career season, averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and six assists per game. He also won the 2021 NBA Most Improved Player Award.
However, Randle's average is down this season, as he is only posting 19.8 points, ten rebounds and five assists per game. They are not poor numbers, but he was expected to make a leap with a new contract in hand.
In the loss to the Magic, Randle had 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. He was 4-of-11 from the field. The problem with Randle in that game was that he only shot once inside the three-point area. If the New York Knicks want to defeat the Houston Rockets on Saturday, Randle will have to bully his way into the paint.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson; G - Tim Hardaway Jr.; F - Dorian Finney-Smith; F - Kristaps Porzingis; C - Dwight Powell.
Rockets vs Knicks Match Prediction
The Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks matchup remains intriguing despite the visitors' losing streak. The Rockets enter the game without a care in the world, while the Knicks are at home where they have a losing record this season.
It would also be a nice headline if the Rockets end their miserable streak against the New York Knicks. Nevertheless, New York has the advantage in almost every aspect, so they will likely beat Houston inside the MSG.
Where to watch Rockets vs Knicks?
The Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks game will be streamed live on the NBA League Pass. Local fans can watch the game at AT&T SportsNet Southwest in Houston and the MSG Network in New York.
