Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets Prediction & Match Preview - November 14th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Phoenix Suns will be looking to extend the Houston Rockets' misery when they meet on Sunday. [Photo: Rockets Wire - USA Today]

The streaking Phoenix Suns will travel to the Toyota Center to test the young and reeling Houston Rockets on Sunday. This will be the second meeting between the two teams as Phoenix won their first game that was also played in Houston.

The last time the Phoenix Suns played an NBA basketball game, they completely smacked the Memphis Grizzlies senseless. They played so well that eight Suns players put up double figures in scoring with three more close to getting at least ten points.

Scoring with such efficiency and proficiency in the NBA almost seems impossible, but the Phoenix Suns will get another such opportunity against the Houston Rockets. If they stay close to the form that allowed them to string seven wins together, they’ll be hard to stop, even on the Rockets’ home court.

Chris Paul and the @Suns win their 7th in a row!

Devin Booker: 17 PTS, 7 AST
Jae Crowder: 17 PTS, 5 3PM https://t.co/9JK5cT94yS

The Houston Rockets own the NBA’s worst record at 1-11, including a skid of ten consecutive losses. Clearly, the wins don’t really matter to this team right now. They are after the development of the young core lead by this year’s No. 2 overall draft pick Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.

One of the positive things to look at in this horrible start for the Houston Rockets is the team’s fight and resilience. They rarely hang their heads and still try to execute their game plan as much as possible. The Rockets will certainly need to be at their best against the Phoenix Suns, one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now.

Match Details

Fixture: Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Sunday, November 14th; 7:00 PM ET | (Monday, November 15th; 5:30 AM IST)

Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

Phoenix Suns Preview

The Phoenix Suns are playing like the NBA Championship Finalist in their seven-game winning run. [Photo: ESPN]

Outside of the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns are the hottest team in the NBA right now. They have won seven straight games and are looking like the Western Conference Champions after a dismal start. The Suns’ have racked up their wins with their traditional ball-sharing with Chris Paul at the center of this enviable ball movement.

The Phoenix Suns are third in the NBA with 27.3 assists per game. Chris Paul is unsurprisingly the catalyst of the team’s ability to look for the best shots available. The veteran leader of the team is averaging a league-best 11.0 APG. He has put up double figures in assists in seven of the Suns’ ten games this season.

Besides sharing the ball well, the Phoenix Suns are capping off their offensive prowess by also leading the league in field goal percentage at 48.1%. If they play their usual way, they are certain to cause huge problems for the Houston Rockets.

Key Player - Chris Paul

The Point God is vintage Chris Paul this season. He is the Phoenix Suns’ fourth-leading scorer and leads the team in assists, steals and minutes played. The team is just a different beast when the eleven-time All-Star orchestrates the plays. Despite the minutes and the usage, he is only coughing up the ball 2.4 times per contest.

Despite losing a step, he is still the Phoenix Suns’ best defender as well. He makes up for the slight loss of speed with anticipation, guile and unparalleled reading of the game. There is no doubt that the Suns are a playoff team because of Paul’s presence.

Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup

G - Chris Paul | G - Devin Booker | F - Mikal Bridges | F - Jae Crowder | C - JaVale McGee

Houston Rockets Preview

The Houston Rockets are betting big on the development of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. to be competitive this season. [Photo: NBA.com India]

The Houston Rockets are already letting the league know that they will play the growing pains of developing their talented young core. Coach Stephen Silas has been very patient, practically just closing his eyes when bone-headed plays happen. They have happened quite regularly so far.

The inexperienced and youthful Houston Rockets are tallying a league-leading 18.1 turnovers a game. They have a considerably huge lead over the Los Angeles Lakers, who are second-worst with 16.7 per contest. At the rate with which the Rockets are losing games, they could get another crack at next year’s top draft picks.

Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., in particular, can learn from point guard maestro Chris Paul. Both of them are playing lesser minutes than the Point God, but have more turnovers. In fact, Green’s average of 3.1 turnovers is more than his 2.8 assists. Watching and learning from one of the best ever to direct play and control a game will make them better in the long run.

Key Player - Christian Wood

Green and Porter Jr. have fancy footwork and insane leaping abilities that regularly land them in Sportscenter. The two also have the highest ceiling of anyone on this team. When they get hot, they make the Houston Rockets must-see TV.

Christian Wood on the #Rockets start to this season:

"It's been rough, but we're staying together. Everybody's still hungry, we're still playing hard. Nobody's quiting on the job." https://t.co/SbvxZH5dhv

However, it has been the steady and often overlooked play of Christian Wood that has allowed the Houston Rockets to be competitive in most games. He gives the young core a safety blanket to rely on.

Wood leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.9 PPG and 11.8 RPG, respectively. His presence in the post helps open up the lane for Houston's aggressive and ultra-athletic youngsters to drive.

Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup

G - Kevin Porter Jr. | G - Jalen Green | F - Jae’Sean Tate | F - Daniel Theis | C - Christian Wood

Suns vs Rockets Match Prediction

Games are always decided on the floor and never on paper. However, this matchup is as lopsided as any in favor of the Phoenix Suns. As long as the Suns continue playing their brand of basketball and they don’t suffer any injuries, this could be another blowout win for them.

The Phoenix Suns’ exceptional backcourt, particularly Chris Paul, will be giving the youngsters of the Houston Rockets some of the best lessons in basketball.

Where to watch Suns vs Rockets

The local coverage of the game between the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets will be made possible by AT&T SportsNet and Bally Sports Arizona. The NBA League Pass will also feature the match on live stream.