Nets vs. Rockets, 7:30 P.M. EST:
TBG Open Thread

Grade the Game At Any Time!

Tonight: After beating the Bucks in back-to-back contests, snapping a 13-game losing streak against Milwaukee, the 33-22 Brooklyn Nets play host to the 30-26 Houston Rockets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The Rockets are fresh off a 122-119 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, who hold the league’s third-best record, after a night in which James Harden scored 46 points while taking just 19 shots.

The BK Game Streak: Today marks game 3 of “The BK Game Streak,” where you can build a streak of wins along the betting line over the course of the season. Three prizes will be awarded at the end of the year, with first prize a $200 Amazon Gift Card. Log in with Facebook to get started, vote in the box above, and good luck!

Watch & Listen: Tonight’s game is broadcast on YES Network. Ian “The Birdman” Eagle and Greg “The Wear Brooklyn At” Anthony are on the call. The game is radio simulcast on WFAN, and in Spanish on WADO.

More on tonight’s game, including injuries and stats, after the jump.

Out: The big news from today: Nets guard Joe Johnson will sit at least tonight’s game with plantar fasciitis in his heel. C.J. Watson will start in his place. The Rockets recently struck a trade for three players: 5th overall pick in the 2013 draft Thomas Robinson, Tyler Honeycutt, and Francisco Garcia. None will play tonight.

Projected Starters:
Houston Rockets: Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Carlos Delfino, Chandler Parsons, Omer Asik (115 minutes, +/- +10.4 per 100 possessions)
Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Reggie Evans, Brook Lopez (6 minutes, +/- -96.5 per 100 possessions)

Advanced Statistics:
Houston Rockets: 106.6 offensive rating (5th), 104.5 defensive rating (22nd), 98.89 possessions per game (1st)
Brooklyn Nets: 103.8 offensive rating (12th), 103.6 defensive rating (17th), 90.68 possessions per game (30th)

Player to watch: James Harden. Harden, the third overall pick in 2009, has blossomed into one of the league’s elite scorers as a team’s first option in Houston, ranking first in the league in free throws (made and attempted), and fifth in the league in points per game while maintaining a high level of efficiency. Harden is a crafty, quick scorer that’s difficult to stop when he gets into the lane and shoots an excellent 41% from beyond the arc.

Pace factor: The Nets have struggled against fast teams and in transition, and tonight they face a team with the league-highest pace. The last time these two teams played, the Rockets ran the Nets off the floor in a laugher. Can the Nets play to their strength and keep the Rockets from running?

Don’t be fooled by… The Nets’ starting lineup efficiency numbers. A -96.5 looks scary, but in six minutes it boils down to a few points in three stretches.

Expect to see… More MarShon Brooks and Tyshawn Taylor than usual with Joe Johnson out.

Go Nets!