After a home win over the Wizards, who lack core players such as Kuzma and Beal, the Rockets are currently in good shape and full of confidence. At 8:30 a.m. Beijing time on March 24, the Rockets will challenge the Dallas Mavericks on the road - this is also the Rockets' penultimate game of the season, and after about half a month, the Rockets will officially enter the offseason.
Although the Rockets had beaten the Wizards of the East by a big score, the Lone Rangers would not let go of any opportunity to accumulate victories. The Rockets are currently ranked 15th in the West and the Lone Rangers are ranked 5th in the West, and it is worth noting that the Lone Rangers' record of 44 wins and 28 losses is only 1 win less than the Utah Jazz, who are fourth in the West, and if the Lone Rangers can win at home to the Rockets in the next game, they will be closer to the 4th place in the West.
What does the Top 4 in the West mean? It means not only a ranking advantage, but also a "home advantage" in the playoffs, which is also the key reason why the Lone Rangers want to go all out to win. But look at the first 3 games of the two teams this season, the Rockets have lost, if the Rockets lose again, then the Lone Rangers will "4 kills" the Rockets. Looking at the injuries of both teams, the Rockets have no players on the injury list, and Gordon has done well after his previous comeback and scored 15 points in the game against the Wizards and hit multiple three-pointers.
Garuba's ankle injury is also well, and he has followed the Rockets to Dallas, and if necessary, Garuba will also wear the game. However, Rockets guards Quinn and Wall will not play this game. Wall's reason is known to everyone, he has a no-appearance agreement with the Rockets, Quinn is not, the young fringe guard, who is currently playing with the Vipers of the G League, will not return to the Rockets for the time being.
In addition to Wall and Quinn, the rockets' remaining 14 players can play. But the Lone Rangers are different, and their superstar Luka Doncic has confirmed that he will not play in this game due to injury. Hardaway Jr., Bertans and Pinson will not play in this game due to injury.
Look at NBA expert Ben Dubos gave a two-team starting lineup prediction: the Rockets side is a good prediction, in the case of Gordon's return, the Rockets will continue the previous game's winning lineup, which is also the Rockets' most commonly used starting lineup this season. Point guard Porter Jr., shooting guard Jaylen Green, small forward Gordon, big forward Tate and center Wood.
The expected lineup for the Lone Rangers side is: Point Guard Jarren Brunson, shooting guard Dinwiddie, small forward Reggie Bullock, big forward Dorian Finney Smith, center Dwight Powell. In the previous game, the center of the Lone Rangers, Powell, pressed Wood in the game, and Wood will inevitably find face in this game, so the center confrontation between the two teams is also another point of view.