The Los Angeles Lakers’ post-Kobe Bryant life will officially commence when they host the Houston Rockets for both teams’ regular season opener. The Lakers are in the midst of a rebuild that can begin in earnest now that Bryant is retired, but it could be a rough season in Tinsel Town.
The Rockets hope they tweaked the roster enough to get back into Western Conference contention, and will aim to get off to a nice start in this winnable road game.
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Odds Analysis
The Rockets dropped from 54 wins or more the past two seasons to only a .500 record last season. They are projected to improve modestly in 2016-17, but are no longer talked about as one of the teams to beat in the West.
They should be favored in this one because the Lakers lack star talent, and a loss would be an early worry for a Houston team trying to reshape itself following the departure of center Dwight Howard.
The Lakers won only 17 games last season and hope young players like D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Brandon Ingram can start them back on the road to relevance.
Player to Watch
James Harden - The Rockets star will be the most talented player on the court and the reason why Houston should be favored in this matchup.
He averaged 29.0 points, 7.5 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game a season ago and will once again be counted on to put up huge numbers and be the focal point of the offense.
Harden is in a new offensive system but one that will be tailored to his strengths. The Lakers are young in the backcourt and Harden is very crafty, so it will be a very tough matchup for them.
Coaching Angle
Both teams will have new coaches at the helm this season. The Rockets have hired Mike D’Antoni to lead the team. He is a bright offensive mind and will aim to get the team rolling on that side of the ball, while hoping the defense picks up as well.
The Rockets’ issue has been defense the past couple seasons and it seems doubtful that changes in 2016-17. That’s something to keep in mind for over/under scoring totals in this game and throughout the season.
The Lakers tabbed Luke Walton to lead the rebuilding efforts. He is a former player for the team who was an assistant coach for the Warriors last year. Walton was the interim coach when Steve Kerr was sidelined at the beginning of last season. He led Golden State to a 39-4 record.
The Lakers don’t have anything close to the type of talent the Warriors do, and anything more than 30 wins would have to be considered a success. Walton will get time to install his preferred system and will aim to get buy-in from the talented but young pieces.
Free NBA ATS Picks
The Rockets look a bit different this season, as they signed shooting guard Eric Gordon in the offseason and let Howard walk in free agency. Gordon should be a nice complement to Harden offensively as Houston aims to get back to the success it found the two years previous to 2015-16.
The Rockets are still suspect defensively, and the loss of Howard hurts there. As does the recent knee injury to Patrick Beverly, who will miss the first several weeks of the season.
The Lakers would love to start the year with an unexpected win, and if that happens it will likely be on the back of Randle, Russell and Ingram. However, the group is still too young at this stage to compete with a team clearly superior.
Harden should have a big day and lead the Rockets to the road win.
NBA Odds: Houston Rockets 118, Los Angeles Lakers 110
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