Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Pacers vs Rockets Preview

The Pacers head to Texas tonight as they begin their three game road trip in the West. The first team the Pacers will face is the very focused Houston Rockets.

The Houston Rockets have been playing some of the best basketball in the league. Even with the loss of their All-Star center Yao Ming, they are still playing with high intensity every night. Houston has won their last 15 games in a row including their last three without Yao.

The Pacers have won two games in a row against the 76ers and Raptors, and have looked very well offensiviely during those games. Their only downfall is their defense, averaging 108.5 points given up in those two games.

To win tonights game the Pacers will have to find away to slow down Tracey McGrady and Rafer Alston. With Yao being out, they won't have to focus as much on scoring down low, but Dikembe Mutumbo is a big force defensively. Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy are both going to have to score above their average, and the bench is going to have to contribute as well. If Travis Diener and new acquisition "Flip" Murray can run an offensive that opens up shots for other players, the Pacers can keep it close. Now it just depends on how they want to play defensively to decide whether they win or lose.

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