So to kick off the second half of their NBA season, the Toronto Raptors get to face a Houston Rockets team that's sporting a 14 and 4 record at home, winning their last five at the Toyota Center, and three-straight before the All-Star break.
Good times.
Sure, they follow this one up with New Orleans tomorrow night, but tonight, minus Andrea Bargnani again by all accounts, promises to be another tough one for TO.
Kevin Martin seems to have found his stroke again for the Rockets, and despite a lack of star power, Houston is sitting in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race with a record of 20 and 14.
For the Dinos, a win would give the club some momentum perhaps, after winning their final game pre-All-Star break, 103-93 over the Detroit Pistons, and as noted, facing a fairly hapless NO club next.
However last time these teams met, Houston won the match fairly easily and you'd be hard-pressed to say that either team's line-up looks that much different this time around. This doesn't mean it's an automatic L of course, but as Sasha noted in his preview today, the Raps need to keep players like Kyle Lowry under control and get some solid production from guys like DeMar and Jose.
GO RAPS!