The gist: The Rockets open the hectic season on the road with a visit to Disney World. The Magic will be coming off a road game the previous night against the Thunder.
Key matchup: Luis Scola vs Glen Davis/Ryan Anderson
Scola has been a preseason weapon offensively and has gotten rid of the rust sooner than everyone else. A defensive sieve as always, he will be tasked to guard Big Baby, who is expected to have gotten over his forgettable performance during the last postseason. Look forward to a scoring spurt when Scola and Anderson get into their offensive rhythm at the same time.
X-factor: Courtney Lee
Can the former Magic steal the show and spell Kevin Martin for extended stretches?
Code Red: In a condensed season, it is more important than ever to have a strong start, as fatigue will make it difficult to make up for lost time. After all, it takes one win to get to 22 straight. These are two teams with players (Martin and Dwight Howard) who are frustrated to be stuck on both teams and want to get traded sooner than later. Watch Stan Van Gundy’s juggling act as he balances playing time for four shooting guards (J.J. Redick, Jason Richardson, Quentin Richardson, and Larry Hughes).
