Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers
The Rockets will visit Los Angeles to square off against the defending champions. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were looking for another NBA Finals victory for their third straight title.
Los Angeles will take on Yao Ming and the Rockets Tuesday night in the season opener. Bryant earned the NBA finals MVP for the second straight year and averaged 27.0 points in the regular season. Lakers returned their 9 players from their championship team, who helped them to beat the Boston Celtics in seven matches.
The Lakers add Matt Barnes, Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff to their roster. Los Angeles are one of the best offensive teams in the league. Despite being the defending champions, the 11-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson will put off his retirement for at least another NBA season. The 64-year-old Jackson managed a 225 postseason victories and a record .705 regular season winning percentage.
After trading away Tracy McGrady, the Rockets remains in transition and added Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries in their line-up on February. Rockets center Yao Ming suffered a leg and foot injuried, which led him to miss the last four seasons. The 7-foot-6 Yao Ming has an average of 19,1 points and 9,3 rebounds in the last 7 seasons.
- Rockets vs Lakers.
When you win the championship, as the Lakers have the past two seasons, you get to Ring in the new season at your home opener. But reflecting on the past, by admiring your new jewelry, is not the best way to concentrate on the present.
So as not to be blinded by all of the diamonds in the Lakers title bling, the Houston Rockets left the court during the pregame ceremony and went back to the locker room. When they returned, they almost ran the champs off the court.
The Lakers trailed after one quarter, trailed at halftime and trailed after three quarters. Final score: Lakers 112, Rockets 110. The first three quarters of an NBA game are almost as meaningless as the NBA regular season. When do the playoffs start?
Has there ever been a defending NBA champion, especially a back-to-back defending champ, that has been as overlooked and overshadowed as the Lakers at season’s start? It’s very doubtful.
Steve Blake made the game-winning three- pointer with 18,8 seconds remaining, as the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers snuck past the Houston Rockets, 112:110, in the season opener for both teams.
The Lakers needed seven games to beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals last season. Prior to Tuesday’s game, Los Angeles raised its 16th championship banner to the rafters and received its rings.
Blake, who spent last season with the Clippers and Trail Blazers, ended with 10 points off the bench for the Lakers, who got 29 points and 11 rebounds from Pau Gasol. Kobe Bryant tallied 27 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.
“A great way to start the season,” – Blake said. “In the third quarter we started playing defense. Shannon (Brown) made big shots. I think the bench did their job tonight.”
Los Angeles took three of four meetings with Houston last season and has won eight of the past nine matchups between the teams. The Lakers have won their last three season openers. Lakers center Andrew Bynum is still recovering from knee surgery. Houston turned the ball over 21 times, leading to 20 Los Angeles points.