The Houston Rockets might be without their star big man, but the rest of their roster is certainly doing a solid job of making up for it. Dwight Howard remains out with an injury, but players like James Harden and Trevor Ariza are not struggling to contribute in his place. After getting a solid win against the Dallas Mavericks, the Rockets prepare to face the struggling New York Knicks on Monday.
Howard remains out indefinitely after undergoing a platelet rich plasma treatment on his right knee. The center says that he feels better but is not ready to return. That leaves the Rockets without a big man who is currently averaging 18.8 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. However, Harden is doing a fine job of making up for it. He put up 32 points against the Dallas Mavericks. Ariza was a big defensive help as the Mavericks shot just 39.8 percent on the day. It made up for the inconsistent shooting by Houston who only shot 36.6 percent overall. They also attempted 46 3-point shots while hitting just 15 of them.
The Houston Rockets will focus heavily on defense Monday as they face Carmelo Anthony who had 45 points against the team last season and then 62 points in another contest in 2014. Harden has averaged 36.5 points against the Knicks are could be an x-factor in this matchup as well.
New York is fresh off a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. They officially have back point guard Jose Calderon who missed the first 13 games with a calf injury. His return comes as Andrea Bargnani remains out with injury, but a healthy Amar'e Stoudemire is taking his place. Calderon made very little impact against Philadelphia. The point guard put up three points and three assists in 21 minutes on the court. Anthony says his veteran knowledge and basketball IQ will help going forward.
