Our upcoming NBA game of the week sees the favourite to win the Eastern Conference travel to Houston to play the league’s 2018 MVP, James Harden.
TORONTO RAPTORS (36-14) @ HOUSTON ROCKETS (27-20)
AEDT: Saturday, Jan. 26, 12pm
The Toronto Raptors currently sit second in the Eastern Conference (a hair behind the Milwaukee Bucks) and after 50 games are the most consistent and well-balanced roster in the league. The Houston Rockets are the opposite: they started the season off shaky, but since James Harden decided to take over, the team is 16-6.
Many may prefer the more team-oriented ethos of the Raptors, and some may even like the philosophy of letting your superstar shine. One undeniable point is that both teams have a clear identity that works.
In the tale of the tape, it’s hard to ignore the matchup between Raptors star Kawhi Leonard and Houston’s James Harden. But, it’s unclear if Leonard will play this game, since the Raptors have been giving their star plenty of rest – he has missed the last three games due to “load management”. The approach makes sense, considering Kawhi’s exit from San Antonio last year was a product of the team’s unwillingness to let their star rest and recover from injury.
If Kawhi does play (and he is likely to), this game becomes even more interesting, making it a no-brainer for GOTW. But, even if he doesn’t play, the matchup is still great, because the Raptors are great, with or without Kawhi – he has sat out 13 games this season, and the Raptors are 11-2 in those game.
For the Rockets, James Harden has played his way back into the favourite for MVP after a historic run of 22 games. As stated earlier, the Rockets are 16-6, and Harden is averaging a ridiculous 42.5 points per game during that run. Yesterday against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, he scored 61 – tying Kobe Bryant (2009) for the most points scored by an opponent in the iconic venue. With Chris Paul sitting out, the offence runs through James Harden. His usage rate is first in the league (by far), and second in league history. He is simply doing everything for the Rockets and pushing the boundaries of what is possible during the relentless grind of the NBA season.
The key to this game then is whether or not the Raptors can stop Harden. It’s hard to get more insightful than that, when he is literally the Rockets’ entire offence. Keeping Harden under control is a difficult thing to do, but the Philadelphia 76ers may have a blueprint for it. When the Sixers beat the Rockets on Tuesday, Corey Brewer figured out ways defensively to pester Harden.
The Rockets have a far better defensive wing to do the same: Kawhi Leonard. Don’t be surprised if this game divulges into a one-on-one battle between Leonard and Harden. And what could be more Game of the Week-worthy than that?
| Regular Season Stats | Raptors | Rockets |
| Points/G (rank) | 113.8 (7) | 112.2 (13) |
| Defensive Rating | 107.1 (8) | 112.1 (27) |
| Rebounds | 45.0 (16) | 42.0 (25) |
| Assists | 24.4 (16) | 20.8 (28) |
| Blocks | 5.6 (7) | 5.3 (13) |
| Steals | 8.5 (9) | 7.9 (12) |
| Turnovers | 14.0 (8) | 14.1 (14) |
| FG % | 47.2 (7) | 44.5 (25) |
| 3PT Shot % | 34.4 (23) | 34.8 (19) |
| Opponent FG % | 45.2 (8) | 47.5 (27) |
| Opponent 3PT Shot % | 34.7 (10) | 34.0 (3) |
Stream UFC on ESPN+. Start your 7-day FREE trial today!
Our Tip
The Raptors will be favoured in this match for good reason. Although they’re away from home, the team is much more well-balanced than the Rockets. Also, despite the individual success Harden has had, it doesn’t always translate to wins, especially against elite teams.
