FS1’s Jason McIntyre likes Rockets’ chances against Lakers

FS1’s Jason McIntyre likes the Houston Rockets’ chances against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Heading into the NBA’s break in action, the Houston Rockets had the sixth seed in the Western Conference, after going 40-24. The Rockets finished 9.5 games back of the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who went 49-14 in the first season of the LeBron James-Anthony Davis pairing.

The Rockets have been largely slept on during the league’s hiatus, in part because of their sixth place finish standing, which would be their worst finish since the 2015-16 season. But the Rockets have eight remaining games on the schedule before the playoffs start, which will give them the opportunity to climb in the rankings.

It’s been viewed as a guarantee that the Rockets will have to get through the Lakers to make it out of the West, as many believe the Lakers are the team to beat. But FS1’s Jason McIntyre likes the Rockets’ chances against the Lake Show.

Jason McIntyre likes the Rockets’ chances against the Lakers.

McIntyre was on The Herd with Colin Cowherd and had the below to say.

“This Houston team, they have a legitimate chance to get hot. LeBron and the Lakers do not want to see the Rockets in the second round.”

The Lakers split games against the Rockets this season, as the series is currently tied 1-1. But the Rockets have one remaining game against the Lake Show down the stretch, which could be a good gauge of what to expect in the postseason.

What’s been interesting about the Rockets’ games against the Lakers is that the only game the Rockets lost took place before they implemented their famed small ball approach. The last time the two teams played, the game was nationally-televised on TNT, and took place almost immediately after the Rockets acquired Robert Covington.

The Rockets were picked to lose the game, due solely to their lack of size, but they went into the Staples Center and pulled off the road win. In that game, LeBron James had just 18 points on 1-of-8 from long-range, and committed six turnovers.

Outside of Houston, we haven’t heard nearly anyone express confidence in the Rockets’ chances of getting past the Lakers, and the Rockets will be perfectly fine with that.