The Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets are set to face off in back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday. These matchups are more than just regular season games; they’re a chance to see how two young, evolving teams stack up against each other.
There’s pleny of intriguing on court matchups to watch. The Rockets offenseive rebounding prowess should challenge the Blazers, Shaedon Sharpe’s continued evolution as a go-to scorer and playmaker against a top flight Houston defense, and how Houston chooses to deploy Alperen Sengun on defense are all intriguing on-court actions to track.
But the real hook for Blazers fans is that Houston offers a hopeful glimpse into the future. The Rockets pivoted off a franchise pillar in James Harden, spent three years winning 22 or fewer games, jumped up to .500 last season and now look like playoff contenders. That sounds like the blueprint Portland is trying to follow in the post-Damian Lillard era. They might be two season behind Houston, but the Rockets offer a look at the other side.
Get the draft picks, find a coach that can coax out a strong, consistent identity and add the right mix of veterans and voila: An 11-5 start to the season with serious upside moving forward.
Friday and Saturday should be competitive games in Houston. But for me, watching what the Rockets have built and how they went about building it is the real matchup for those with Blazers-centric visions of a competitve future in Rip City.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Blazers’ strategies and player performances, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- The evolution of Shaedon Sharpe as a playmaker
- Donovan Clingan’s impact on the Blazers’ defense
- A look at the Rockets’ surprising start to the season
- Key matchups to watch in the Blazers vs. Rockets games
Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on your favorite team!
