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The Houston Rockets will end their three-game homestand when they head over to the City of Brotherly Love to face the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday.
The Rockets will head into this game off a 124-111 loss against the Denver Nuggets. With their seventh loss on the trot, the Rockets are bottom in the West, and 10-27 on the season.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers are returning home after a three-game road trip. They are coming off a 110-102 win against the Brooklyn Nets. With three consecutive wins on the road, the 19-16 76ers are now sixth in the East.
Match Details
Fixture - Houston Rockets vs Philadelphia 76ers | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Monday, January 2nd, 2022; 7:00 PM ET (Tuesday, January 3rd, 2022; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets' losing streak may have generated some strife in their ranks. During the loss against the Nuggets, a spat between starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. and assistant head coach John Lucas saw the guard leave the game midway.
The spat also resulted in Christian Wood refusing to return to the game after half-time. With the side missing two key players for the rest of the game, the Rockets' losing streak continued.
The Houston Rockets currently rank poorly both defensively and offensively. Although they have some promising pieces in Jalen Green, Christian Wood and Alperen Sengun, they are still some way away from being competitive.
Against the 76ers, the Rockets could make significant adjustments to their roster. With many key players out of rotation, the Rockets will have their task cut out.
Key Player - Jalen Green
The Houston Rockets will look to Jalen Green as a key player in this game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Green, 19, is one of the most exciting prospects the Rockets have. An incandescent scoring force in the making, Green is coming off a 29-point outing against the Denver Nuggets.
Although he missed many games due to injury, his return is a spark for the Houston Rockets' offense. Considering the uncertain status of Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood for this game, Green could have a bigger responsibility at the offensive end.
Although there will be some respite with DJ Augustin returning, the questionable status of Eric Gordon will put an additional pressure on the 19-year old.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Kevin Porter Jr. | G - Jalen Green | F - Garrison Matthews | F - Jae'Sean Tate | C - Christian Wood.
Philadelphia 76ers Preview
The Philadelphia 76ers have enjoyed a solid streak of wins heading into the new year. Coming off a win against the Brooklyn Nets, the 76ers are making up for the losses they suffered in the absence of key players due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Thanks to a dominant performance by their superstar Joel Embiid, the 76ers also saw a solid outing from Tyrese Maxey. The latter has emerged as a solid piece for the 76ers in the absence of Ben Simmons.
Although Maxey doesn't provide the defensive upside of Simmons, his ability to complement Embiid has allowed him to seamlessly blend into Doc Rivers' system.
Against the Rockets, the 76ers could have a few players out of the rotation. Matisse Thybulle entered the league's health and safety protocols on Sunday, and has been listed as questionable for this game.
With many players returning to the roster, though, the 76ers are in a decent position in terms of roster strength.
Key Player - Tyrese Maxey
The Philadelphia 76ers will look at Tyrese Maxey as a key player for this game against the Houston Rockets.
Maxey appears to be returning to solid form, as he is coming off a decent outing against the Brooklyn Nets. Recording 25 points in the game, Maxey also logged seven rebounds and four assists.
He also had a couple of key knockdown shots to secure a win for the 76ers. Maxey is emerging as a reliable player for the team.
Although he had a poor outing against the Toronto Raptors, Maxey has averaged 16.9 points on 50% from the field and 42.2% from behind the three-point arc in his last ten games.
While Embiid should continue to dominate and lead the side, Maxey stepping up as a second option is a heartening proposition.
Philadelphia 76ers Predicted Lineup
G - Tyrese Maxey | G - Seth Curry | F - Georges Niang | F - Tobias Harris | C - Joel Embiid.
Rockets vs 76ers Match Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers have the upper hand in this game. They have home-court advantage as well as significant momentum against a depleted Houston Rockets side.
The Rockets will miss some key players in the game, which could play into the hands of the 76ers.
The Houston Rockets may be able to put up a fight behind Jalen Green should Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. be available. However, the Philadelphia 76ers should emerge as the winners on Monday.
Where to watch Rockets vs 76ers game?
The Houston Rockets vs Philadelphia 76ers game will be locally broadcast on NBA Sports Philadelphia. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can listen to the game by tuning into 97.5 The Fanatic too.
