I had had the Portland game circled on my calendar for weeks, but with the outcome of the past two outings, my enthusiasm has waned, if just slightly. But still, it will be a good test of things. When it became clear last summer that Terrence Jones had no business sharing the court with LaMarcus Aldridge, many, including myself, called for Donatas Motiejunas to just be given a shot. The thinking was, he couldn’t possibly be any worse than Jones. That shot never came, but it will tomorrow. If the Rockets are to navigate the perilous waters of the Western Conference this May, they will need their power forward to provide something of use. They have no chance otherwise.
Despite the damage done to Houston’s record over the past two games, they still sit in fourth. Just one loss, however, separates them from the 6th seeded Clippers. Maybe these exercises have no bearing? After all, is a 4-5 against Dallas any less challenging than a 3-6 with L.A.? Moving up to 2 offers no solace either in a date with the Spurs.
