The gist: The Rockets are still winless on the road and are losers of their last four outings. The Bobcats have dropped their last three, the most recent coming off a loss in Madison Square Garden when they allowed the Knicks’ starting lineup to combine for 88 points.
Key matchup: Luis Scola vs Boris Diaw
Despite having one too many hors d’oeuvers, Diaw can still produce if the defenses slack of him, as it was evident in their two meetings with the Knicks. With a defensive slouch like Scola, don’t be surprised with Diaw runs amok and gets his share of numbers across the board.
X-factor: Jordan Hill
Kevin McHale has chided the Rockets for a lack of road intensity. To be able to compete with gusto, energy must come from the big man, McHale’s students of the game. There are no more excuses for allowing hosting opponents to crush the Rockets with an average of 110.2 points a game. It starts with post defense.
Code Red: D.J. Augustin is surprisingly the Bobcats’ top scorer but he is shooting well under 40% from the field. If he suddenly gets his act together in this game, the Rockets will be in trouble.
