Houston Rockets Prepare to Take on the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Houston Rockets just finished their most extended road trip of the season with an impressive wire-to-wire win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day. It was a much-needed win, as the Rockets had struggled in December, entering the Christmas Day match with a 4-6 record after an embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.

The Rockets played with more energy Thursday night, especially on defense. The Rockets have struggled in part because their defense has taken a significant step back this month. The Rockets came into the game ranked in the bottom 10 in several major defensive categories this month. Still, they got back to their winning formula of dominating the boards and playing lockdown defense, holding the Lakers to only 96 points and 43 in the second half.

The Rockets were happy to be back home for the first time in six games as they welcomed the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers into the Toyota Center on Saturday. The Cavaliers were one of the best teams in the league last season, record-wise, and were expected to compete for a championship this season. That hasn't been the case so far as the Cavaliers come into Toyota Center as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference after blowing a double-digit lead to the New York Knicks on Christmas morning.

Houston Rockets Pregame Ime Udoka Speaks With the Media

Before the game, head coach Ime Udoka spoke to the media about Saturday night's matchup with the Cavaliers. With Dorrian Finney-Smith making his season debut against the Lakers on Christmas, the Rockets now have both Tari Eason and Finney-Smith in the rotation for the first time all season. Rockets on SI asked Udoka how he can expand the defensive playbook now with both defensive wings back from injury.

Udoka didn't feel like it limited what they could do on the defensive end earlier in the season with both players out but does like the added depth it gives them having both players back in the rotation.

Udoka also announced the starting lineup for tonight, going with the same starters he used in Los Angeles: Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith, and Steven Adams. Sengun had been dealing with left calf tightness over the last several days, so the Rockets decided to rest their All-Star center and move Adams into the starting lineup.

The Rockets will have to lean even more on Durant in Saturday night's game and hope someone else can pick up the offensive slack. Udoka also spoke about how he liked Eason wanting to start, and that he didn't have any issues with him talking about it after the Lakers game. Udoka finished by saying that Finney-Smith will not play both games in any back-to-backs for the rest of the season.