What to Watch for in Rockets vs. Cavaliers

In an important Christmas Day bout, the Houston Rockets took down the Los Angeles Lakers, stopping their cold streak.

The Rockets had previously lost four out of five games, doing so against some lowly West teams in the Pelicans, Kings and Clippers. With a landmark win now getting them back int he win column, they’ll be looking to continue the positive momentum against Cleveland.

The Cavaliers have seen a similarly up-and-down season, losing their own Christmas Day matchup to the Knicks.

Here are three things to watch for in today’s cross-conference matchup:

Amen Thompson’s Hot-Streak

Amen Thompson has seen somewhat of a topsy-turvy third season in terms of consistency, though he’s riding a solid stretch that Rockets’ fans will hope to see continue.

He scored a blistering and much-needed 26 points on 12-for-19 shooting against the Lakers, sticking to his do-it-all nature with seven rebounds and five assists. That was preceded by 19 points against the Clippers and 18 points against the Kings, both of which came on 70% shooting from the field.

Thompson was seen as a potential Most-Improved Award candidate coming into the season, and continuing that level of production would certainly land him back on radars.

The Rockets Up-and-Down Defense

Houston has seen the highs and lows of defense so far this season, a large reason they've been so inconsistent on the year. Head coach Ime Udoka has long taught aggressive defense, though this year's Rockets' team has trouble assimilating a few offensive-minded players.

On Thursday, Houston held the Lakers to just 96 points in total, pointing to a potential uptick in energy on that end.

They'll need to replicate that same performance against Cleveland should they want to come away with a win, given how talented some of the Cavaliers' are on offense.

Dorian Finney-Smith continuing to work his way back

Finney-Smith made his Rockets’ debut against LA, playing just 13 minutes off the bench due to a minutes-restriction. He missed his only shot, but finished as a plus-two overall in providing some solid minutes.

The 6-foot-7 wing should provide a solid presence for Houston once fully healthy, offering a veteran perimeter player who can hit shots and defend at a solid level.

Finney-Smith isn’t likely to be fully loosed against Cleveland, though he should feel better with each game.

The Rockets and Cavaliers will tip off at 7 p.m. from Toyota Center in Houston, TX.

• Rockets' Old Strengths Could Be Key to Mitigating Struggles
• Tari Eason Explains Benefit of Him Being in Starting Lineup
• Rockets Sideline Reporter Vanessa Richardson Earns Extension with ESPN
• Rockets Victory Prompts Tirade by Lakers’ JJ Redick
• LeBron James Gets Blasted for Lack of Effort in Rockets' Lopsided Victory vs Lakers