What to Watch for in Rockets vs Cavaliers

The Rockets are coming off an overtime win against the Orlando Magic, which saw three Rockets players record a double-double in the contest.

Kevin Durant led the way in scoring with 35 points and would close out the game, helping extend Houston's win streak to four games ahead of today's matchup.

Cleveland has also been the victor of back-to-back games coming into their home stand for their next three contests, and they are hopeful to come out of this game on the winning side as well.

Here are a few things to watch for in today's Rockets-Cavaliers contest:

Limiting Donovan Mitchell's Impact

It definitely sounds easier said than done, but one of the biggest keys for the Houston Rockets is trying to keep Donovan Mitchell out of the game to the best of their ability.

In the Cavs' 13 games this season, Mitchell is averaging 30.9 points on a 50.9% field goal completion and a 38.8% behind the three-point line. The bottom line for the Rockets is to force someone else in Cleveland to take over.

As a team, Houston ranks No. 6 in the NBA for defensive rating, and against a player of Mitchell's caliber, all hands will need to be on deck to limit his scoring and offensive impact on the Cavs this afternoon.

Both Amen Thompson and Josh Okogie will likely draw the matchup against Mitchell, depending on what lineup Coach Ime Udoka decides to roll out.

Keep the Three-Ball Hot

While the Rockets have a lot of success slashing and driving to the basket, the Cavaliers currently rank fourth in the league when it comes to blocks per game, averaging 5.8 per contest.

Houston will undoubtedly need to showcase why they are the NBA's best three-point shooting team and offense, as they will have to stretch the floor against these talented bigs in Cleveland.

The Rockets' 42.6% behind the arc ranks as the only other team above 40% besides the Milwaukee Bucks.

Facing off against a fairly lengthy team like Cleveland, perhaps shooting the ball is the best option for this matchup.

Game Information:

Date: Wed, Nov 19.
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Rocket Arena - Cleveland, Ohio
TV: NBA League Pass / ESPN