The leading contenders for the top pick in this year’s draft cross paths in Detroit on Saturday night.
It’s the worst of the worst by NBA standards, as the last place team in the Western Conference visits the bottom feeder in the Eastern Conference. The Houston Rockets have lost 20 of their last 22 games, while the Detroit Pistons have dropped seven of their last nine games.
In the Rockets’ latest defeat, the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped to a 74-48 halftime lead en route to a 113-95 victory on Thursday. Guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Eric Gordon and forward Jae’Sean Tate were sidelined due to injuries. The Cavaliers — who were missing All-Star starter Donovan Mitchell — converted 22 Rockets turnovers into 40 points.
Everyone in the Rockets’ starting five was age 22 or younger. They didn’t hold up well in the second game of a back-to-back. Houston lost to Washington 108-103 on Wednesday.
Second-year guard Josh Christopher made his first start this season and the third of his career. He played a season-high 19 minutes and had seven points and no assists while committing two turnovers.
Jalen Green, who reached the 40-point mark twice in the previous four games, was held to six points.
Silas will miss Saturday’s game. He’ll attend a memorial for his father, former NBA star player and coach Paul Silas, in Charlotte. John Lucas will coach the team in his absence.
The Pistons are coming off a rare victory. They defeated Brooklyn on the road on Thursday, 130-122, as eight players reached double figures.
In their previous outing, Milwaukee scored 150 points against them, including 49 in the first quarter.
Detroit took control against the Nets with a 43-point third quarter, then held off Brooklyn’s late charge.
Casey inserted veteran guard Alec Burks into the starting lineup, and it helped Detroit get off to a better start.
