Houston Rockets vs Charlotte Hornets Predictions: Two teams at the bottom of the table

NBA is on and we are heading into the trade deadline territory with teams looking to retool their rosters. The spirited season has seen amazing voyages where records have been shattered like never before and we are in for another fun second half of the season. Anyway, in this game, the Houston Rockets are going to take on the Charlotte Hornets in a cross-Conference affair.

The Rockets come into this game after a high-scoring 132:140 loss against the Lakers despite an unprecedented 33 points and 15 rebounds outburst by Center Alperen Sengun. This was the Rockets' 11th straight loss and extends their losses to 34 and they have just 10 wins now. This was expected from a Rockets squad that relies heavily upon inexperienced players and is down by a lot of points for most parts. The backcourt of Kevin Porter Jr and Jalen Green has been effective while Sengun has risen as an all-around player but the overall roster remains raw and needs a lot of work.

The Hornets come into the game after losing 118:130 against the Celtics despite a 26 points performance by Jalen McDaniels. They have now lost five in a row and they have now lost 34 games, winning merely 11 games. This season has been a waste for the Hornets and doesn’t befit their squad led by LaMelo Ball but in fairness, their woes were exposed when Ball was out for multiple months due to an injury. With the way things are going, the Hornets are heading for the lottery and at this rate, LaMelo Ball’s long-term commitment is in question with the Franchise. 

These two teams have been terrible and what a tough prediction scenario it makes for in such a case. Both teams haven’t executed well on the offensive end and has played hero ball whereas their defense has been in doubt each game. The Rockets have the home-court advantage but what of it? This has been their chance to win recently but they aren’t a sure-fire here. I back the Hornets to come on top here and Ball to take over the game. I predict a scoreline of 129:123 in favor of the Hornets.