All Lakers Expert Predictions For Rockets Showdown
Your 3-4 Los Angeles Lakers head to the Lone Star State tonight to do battle against the 3-3 Houston Rockets. The fun tips off at 5 p.m. PT.
We're here for all of your burning questions ahead of the bout.
Will Dillon Brooks reach his season scoring average?
Alex: Fresh off beating Austin Reaves' Team USA to help his native Canada win a bronze medal, Brooks has carried his sharpshooting summer into the regular season. He's averaging 16.3 points on insanely elite (and presumably not sustainable?) .593/.565/.938 shooting splits, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 steals a night. I think LeBron James will do whatever he has to in order to stop him from achieving any of those numbers tonight, so deep is his petty loathing for this relatively harmless player.
Noah: Dillon Brooks has had a nice start to the season, but he's going to be using a lot — and I mean, a lot — of energy to try to slow down LeBron James on Wednesday. Thus, he'll have some tired legs on the offensive side of things, and won't continue his hot shooting or reach his 17 points.
Noel: I do think Dillon Brooks will reach his season average and probably surpass it against the Lakers. Despite his antics, he’s been one of the most efficient and impressive scorers this season on a Rockets team that is looking to trend in a different direction. It’s also his first time seeing LeBron James since the playoffs so he will try to show out, no doubt about that!
Which Austin Reaves will show up tonight?
Noah: Give me yes on Austin Reaves showing up tonight against a backcourt of offensive-minded young players. I expect Reaves to be the second-leading scorer for LA if Anthony Davis can't go, and give them a true boost all around like he did Monday against Miami. Give me another 20-point game from the Lakers' starting two-guard.
Noel: Austin Reaves will have to play a big role on both ends tonight seeing the skilled guards the Rockets have on offense. However, Reaves will also likely get some great looks on offense, too, since the Rockets are one of the NBA teams struggling currently on the defensive end. I predict Reaves will crack 20 points and roll out around 7 assists.
Alex: LA's newly re-signed starting two-guard has had an erratic go of it to start the 2023-24 season. After averaging a scant 11 points on 34.5% shooting from the floor through his first five contests, the 6'5" swingman out of Oklahoma has scored 20+ points on 64% shooting across his most recent two contests with LA (both losses). Which one will we see against a still-developing Rockets backcourt? I think we're going to get something in between, with more efficient shooting than we saw in those patchy first five games, but a bit less scoring than he contributed in the last two.
Can the Lakers cover tonight's -3.5 spread in their favor? Will they win their first road game of the season?
Alex: Yes and yes. Despite LA's very depleted depth tonight, I think if LeBron James once again blows past his previously-established (and rarely enforced) soft minutes restriction of 28-30 per, he will be hellbent on once again destroying Dillon Brooks, whose pre-game smack-talking seemed to galvanize The Chosen one during the Lakers' six-game first round series upset of the Memphis Grizzlies last spring. Look for him to score another 30-piece and shut down Brooks on the other end.
Noah: I'm with Alex on this one. You can't call an early November game must-win, but the Lakers don't want to lose to the lowly Rockets and drop to 3-5 early in the year. Expect LeBron James to carry the load with or without AD, and the Lakers to win and cover to get back to .500.
Noel: Lakers will cover the spread and take home their first road win of the year!
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