NBA Summer League 2021: Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Match Preview - August 12th, 2021
The in-form Houston Rockets will take on the Toronto Raptors in their third 2021 NBA Summer League game on Thursday, August 12.
The Houston Rockets are coming off a 111-91 blowout win over the Detroit Pistons. It was their second straight win of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors failed to record consecutive wins, losing to the Golden State Warriors 84-90 in their last game.
Match Details
Fixture - Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021
Date & Time - Thursday, August 12th, 8:00 PM ET (Friday, 5:30 AM IST)
Venue - Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV.
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets have been on a roll lately, with all their rookies doing extremely well in their pro-debuts.
Overall #2 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft Jalen Green was once again firing on all cylinders and scored 25 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the floor.
His lethal shooting accuracy was on full display as he also made 10-of-11 free throws on the night to go with three 3s. Center Alperen Sengun scored 21 points and had 4 blocks to his name. All of the Rockets' starters recorded double-digit scores to round off a brilliant team performance.
The Houston Rockets have been brilliant overall. If there is an area they need to improve on is limiting their turnovers. They had 16 in the last game, which saw them concede 19 points.
Key Player - Jalen Green
Jalen Green was highly confident heading into the draft and believed that he was the best player among all rookies. Fast forward to his pro-debut, he is proving that he is indeed the best of the lot. Green's efficiency has been remarkable. Despite taking just 11 attempts from the field, he managed to score 25 points on the night.
Green's ability to score from all three levels gives the Houston Rockets a huge advantage on offense. It will be important for the team that he continues to play the way he has so far and help them win to stay undefeated after Thursday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G - Khyri Thomas l G - Jalen Green l F - KJ Martin l F - Josh Christopher l C - Alperen Sengun.
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors started the 2021 NBA Summer League exceptionally well, clinching a 89-79 win against the New York Knicks. They shot the ball well and put in a decent shift.
That wasn't the case in their last game against the Golden State Warriors, though. After shooting 41.3% from the field and 42.4% from the 3-point line in their opening fixture, the Toronto Raptors could only manage to convert 35% of their shots from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
The ball movement wasn't as good as it was in the first game, either as they had only nine assists as a team.
Malachi Flynn was once again the top-scorer for the team with 16 points, while Scottie Barnes and Precious Achiuwa scored 13 points each.
Key Player - Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes will have to be at his lethal best defensively as the Houston Rockets bolster a plethora of highly efficient offensive players. Barnes has had a decent start to his pro career with two solid performances so far.
He will be key for the Toronto Raptors in this game. Along with putting in a solid shift defensively, the Raptors will be hoping for him to be more active on offense as well. They do not have many scorers, so Barnes scoring at a good rate would be of massive help.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Malachi Flynn l G - David Johnson l F - Ish Wainright l F - Scottie Barnes l C - Precious Achiuwa.
Rockets vs Raptors Prediction
The Houston Rockets have been in better form and will have the momentum with them heading into this tie. It gives them the favorites tag as well. Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors have to make sure they play to their potential and make very few errors to have a healthy chance of winning this tie.
Where to watch the Rockets vs Raptors game?
The match between the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors will be televised on NBA TV. Fans can also stream the game online via NBA League Pass.