Rockets at Lakers
Kobe Bryant makes his return from a knee injury and will see Dwight Howard on the floor when the Los Angeles Lakers open the season against the visiting Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Bryant was limited to six games last season due to two leg injuries and the Lakers bottomed out with a franchise-worst 27-55 mark. Howard, who played for Los Angeles in 2012-13, combined with guard James Harden to fuel Houston to a 54-28 record last season.
The 36-year-old Bryant might not be the player he was two or three years ago but he is interested in finding out where his current talent level resides. “I’m trying to see if I can prove to myself that I can be myself,” Bryant told reporters. “All those words and the doubts add fuel to that.” Howard suffered a laceration on his right forearm last Friday but will definitely play in the opener.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (2013-14: 54-28): One of Houston’s key players last season – small forward Chandler Parsons – signed with Dallas as a free agent and the Rockets signed Trevor Ariza (14.4 scoring average in 2013-14) to replace him. Point guard Patrick Beverley had a strong late-season surge to solidify his spot and power forward Terrence Jones is on the rise but coach Kevin McHale doesn’t mince words when it comes to who carries the team. “For us to have the type of year we need to have,” McHale told reporters. “James Harden and Dwight Howard are going to have to play at an all-pro level night-in and night-out for us.”
ABOUT THE LAKERS (2013-14: 27-55): Instead of Steve Nash – who is out for the season with a back injury -- at the point, it will be Jeremy Lin, who averaged 12.5 points and 4.1 assists last season for Houston before being shipped to Los Angeles in the offseason. Lin lost his starting gig with the Rockets to Beverley and the matchup figures to be one to watch closely. Among the new Los Angeles players are veteran big man Carlos Boozer and impressive rookie Julius Randle, the seventh overall draft in the draft.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Houston went 3-1 against the Lakers last season and averaged 130.7 points in its victories.
2. The Rockets added veteran SG Jason Terry to attempt to bulk up a thin backcourt.
3. Los Angeles F Nick Young (thumb) is forecasted to return in December while recently injured G Wayne Ellington (concussion) and F Ryan Kelly (hamstring) will also sit out.