Houston Rockets (9-3, third in the Western Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-5, second in the Eastern Conference)
Cleveland; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Houston visits the Cleveland Cavaliers following the Rockets’ 117-113 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic.
The Cavaliers are 6-2 in home games. Cleveland is seventh in the league with 27.5 assists per game led by Donovan Mitchell averaging 5.5.
The Rockets are 4-2 on the road. Houston has a 0-1 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
The Cavaliers average 15.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 14.3 per game the Rockets allow. The Rockets average 8.6 more points per game (124.8) than the Cavaliers allow their opponents to score (116.2).
TOP PERFORMERS: Mitchell is averaging 30.9 points, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. Sam Merrill is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.
Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points and 3.4 assists for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is averaging 30.0 points and 12.0 rebounds while shooting 35.5% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 123.3 points, 45.6 rebounds, 28.6 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points per game.
Rockets: 9-1, averaging 126.2 points, 50.6 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 9.2 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.9 points.
INJURIES: Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson: out (illness), Max Strus: out (foot), Darius Garland: out (toe).
Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Dorian Finney-Smith: day to day (ankle), Tari Eason: out (oblique).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
By The Associated Press
