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The Houston Rockets will host the New York Knicks at Toyota Center on December 16th.
The New York Knicks will head into this game on the back of a 96-105 loss against the Golden State Warriors, seeing their losing streak extend to four games.
The Houston Rockets will also be coming off a 89-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers as they return home from their road trip.
Match Details
Fixture - New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets | 2021-22 NBA Season
Date & Time - Wednesday, December 16th, 2021; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, December 17th, 2021; 6:30 AM IST)
Venue - Toyota Center, Houston, TX
New York Knicks Preview
Coming off a loss against the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks also had to be the team that the Warriors' guard Steph Curry made history against.
Scoring his 2,974th three-pointer, Curry became the NBA's leader in three-pointers made at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. To add to the misery of the Knicks, they allowed the Golden State Warriors to take a commanding lead in the third quarter after keeping it close until halftime.
While New York saw some great plays by rookie Miles McBride, the majority of the contributions were made by veterans such as Julius Randle and Derrick Rose.
With their fourth loss in a row, the New York Knicks' fall down the Eastern Conference leaderboard has been difficult. While factoring in the injuries to key players, the Knicks bench has also failed to step up to make for these losses.
Key Player - Julius Randle
The key player for the New York Knicks in this game will be Julius Randle. Randle has been the centerpiece of New York's offense since last season. This is largely because of his ability to contribute to the team in multiple forms.
In the New York Knicks' game against the Warriors, Randle was by far the most dominant player from the Knicks' side. Recording 31 points and seven rebounds for the game, Randle was essential in keeping New York in the game.
Although Randle ended up having four turnovers for the game as well, with Randle managing the majority of New York's offensive duties, this is understandable.
Heading into the game against Houston, considering the potential absence of Christian Wood, Julius Randle may have the opportunity to dominate in the low post.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Derrick Rose | G - Alec Burks | F - Evan Fournier | F - Julius Randle | C - Nerlens Noel
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets will be coming off a blowout loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers to end their road trip. Having split the three-games 1-2, the Rockets will have more pressing concerns ahead of their return home.
The Houston Rockets have been an exciting team to follow through the month of November into early December. Having gone on a seven-game winning streak to kickstart their season, the Rockets have started to cool off since going on the streak.
Behind the outstanding performance and leadership of Christian Wood and the performance of their young core, the Houston Rockets looked like a competitive side. Unfortunately, they will face misfortune in the form of injuries ahead of the New York Knicks game.
With many key players such as Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood and Eric Gordon out of the rotation due to injury, the Houston Rockets will have some trouble adjusting to playing with a different lineup.
Key Player - Alperen Sengun
The key player for the Houston Rockets in this game will be Alperen Sengun. The rookie will be coming off the bench, but the minutes played by Sengun are extremely valuable to the Rockets.
Sengun is an extremely gifted big man. Although he struggled to find his footing early in the season, the 19-year old has looked like a different player in the month of December.
An extremely crafty offensive player with a knack for throwing some highlight passes, Alperen Sengun is a scoring option as a replacement for Daniel Theis.
Leading Houston's scoring in the game against the Cavaliers with 19 points, Sengun also grabbed 11 rebounds. His performance was one of the few bright spots for the Houston Rockets in the game.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - DJ Augustin | G - Garrison Mathews | F - Armoni Brooks | F - Jae'Sean Tate | C - Daniel Theis
Knicks vs Rockets Match Predictions
The Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks matchup could be a lot closer than expected.
Although the New York Knicks seem like a great team on paper, they have struggled to play up to their potential. On the other hand, the Rockets are a team that is punching way above its weight as it continues to make noise this season.
But while factoring in injuries on both teams, the Houston Rockets are missing more key contributors than the New York Knicks. The issues these cause to their rotation may be enough for New York put an end to their losing streak.
Where to watch Knicks vs Rockets game?
The game will be locally broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Southwest. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform. Fans can also listen to the game on radio by tuning into 790 AM/S or 93.3 FM.
Guess the Lakers players!
