Tonight, the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns are set to battle, and it's a matchup that features the only two Western Conference teams that have different head coaches than they started with. For this 2016 contest, read on to see the live stream link, TV schedule, betting line, a preview and prediction.
Game Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Channel: FSAZ+, ROOT
Location: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Ariz.
Live Stream Link: NBA League Pass ($6.99 for individual game)
Free Live Stream: Stream2U
Betting Line: -7.5 HOU; 215 O/U
Going into this one, it's clear that the Rockets are the road favorites. Of course, that's easy to see as Vegas has them as 7.5-point favorites. But it's also just because of how pathetic the Suns have become this season.
After a couple of promising years in which they at least were close to sneaking into the playoffs, they've completely fallen off the reservation this year. It all started with the trade of Markieff Morris' twin brother to Detroit Pistons. That caused a bit of a locker room issue, as Markieff, a formerly consistent producer for them, was unhappy that his brother got shipper away (they were on the same college team, and then amazing the same NBA team to start their careers).
Some chemistry issues were definitely prevalent at that point, but then Eric Bledsoe got hurt. The talent level went down overall because of that, losing one Morris to trade, the other Morris to morale and Bledsoe to injury.
Finally, the firing of head coach Jeff Hornacek was the most recent move. His job has been in jeopardy for some time, as he and management clashed from time to time. But the poor performance this year was the last straw.
In steps interim head coach Earl Watson, who retired just two seasons ago.
Now Watson knows a thing or two about being the underdog. A smaller point guard at 6-foot-1, he was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft. Watson was never the biggest guy, the best shooter or most talented. But he hustled, knows the game of basketball very well and overachieved, earning a career that lasted over a decade.
He may be just what this team needs to get through this season with some respectability.
The Suns did lose Watson's first game as HC, but played the Toronto Raptors close -- an excellent team that's second in the East currently.
When the Rockets and Suns play today, expect another close game. I believe Watson will be able to fire up these guys and get them to play well, and the Rockets will do a lot themselves to throw away games quite often, as they've also had their fair share of issues in 2015-16.
Prediction: Suns 108, Rockets 106
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