National Basketball Association

5 Bold Predictions For Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Basketball is back as the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are set to start their 2016-17 seasons on Wednesday. Here are five “bold” predictions for this intriguing season opener.

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After what seemed like a mind-numblingly long offseason, the 2016-17 NBA season is set to get under way for the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

The two Western Conference teams will square off in Los Angeles, looking to start the season off with a win. Only one team can win, though, which is why I felt compelled to put together this list of “bold” predictions for the contest.

Now keep in mind that these predictions are meant to push the limits of logic. They aren’t meant to be taken too seriously, with an emphasis on imagination and entertainment.

As sports fans, we all love to speculate on what could happen on game day–just take it for what it is as we prepare to get the 2016-17 campaign under way.

So what will happen under the bright lights of the Staples Center? No one knows for sure, I’m sure going to give it my best effort to predict the outcome of the season opener for these two clubs.

Basketball is back for the Lakers and Rockets. Here are my five “bold” predictions regarding what could occur on Wednesday night.

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5. Clint Capela Pulls Down A Career High In Rebounds

With Dwight Howard gone, it’s officially time for the Clint Capela show.

The rising star at center is an intriguing talent who should have plenty of opportunities to impress this season. However, he won’t wait long to prove he can make a big impact in the paint.

Against the Lakers, I’d expect the Switzerland native to dominate the boards. While Los Angeles has its own experts when it comes to cleaning the glass, I’m forecasting an early breakout performance from Capela now that he’s the main man in the middle for Houston.

Even with Julius Randle and Timofey Mozgov battling him for positioning, Capela will haul in at least 18 rebounds on the game. That would give him a career high in rebounds, topping the 17 he secured against the Sacramento Kings last season.

The departure of Howard seemed like a big loss for the Rockets. However, if Capela has anything to say about, they’ll still have a quality starter at center in 2016-17.

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4. Brandon Ingram Struggles In Limited Minutes

As we’ve seen this preseason, the Lakers are content with bringing along Brandon Ingram slowly. He’s behind Luol Deng on the depth chart and could lose minutes to Nick Young after Young showed well in the last few weeks.

When he was actually on the court during the preseason, Ingram struggled mightily. Although he flashed the potential that made him the No. 2 overall pick, it was clear he has a lot of growing to do. Unfortunately, that growth isn’t going to occur on Wednesday night.

That’s why, when he hits the floor against the Rockets, his struggles will carry over into the regular season.

Especially against a Houston team that sports some solid defenders at small forward, Ingram will face stiff competition. That likely means another tough outing for the rookie. More missed shots, more subpar defense and more growing pains for one of the NBA’s top young talents.

There are going to be countless bright moments for Ingram during the 2016-17 campaign. Don’t expect to see any of them against Houston.

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3. D’Angelo Russell Finishes With More Than 30 Points

With what we saw during the Summer League and preseason, D’Angelo Russell appears primed to take over as the Lakers’ go-to offensive threat. He’s got the skills to be a star, and seems to have the trust of new head coach Luke Walton heading into the opener.

So why not start his quest to be the new face of the franchise with a bang?

I’m thinking more than 30 points in the opener against the Rockets will do. It’ll be a strong start to his sophomore season, and a perfect opportunity to show he can shoulder the scoring burden.

The Lakers have plenty of scoring potential, but Russell seems like the best option to be the main man in Los Angeles.

Russell can get hot in a hurry, which doesn’t bode well for a Rockets team that’s missing pesky point guard Patrick Beverley (via ESPN). That means the sophomore will see plenty of Eric Gordon and James Harden, who are both sub-par (at best) defenders.

It may take a lot of shots, but Russell will eclipse the 30-point mark on Wednesday. It’s just what the Lakers need to prove they can keep up on the scoreboard in 2016-17.

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2. James Harden Scores A Game-High 40 Points

There’s no denying James Harden is a star when it comes to scoring. His quickness and handles often leave defenders tripping over themselves, which we will likely see plenty of against the Lakers.

That’s why I’m predicting he’ll get his season off on the right foot with a 40-point performance.

I mean, he’ll almost have to in order to keep up with Russell and this improved Lakers squad. While the Rockets should expect significant scoring from a number of sources (Gordon, Ryan Anderson, etc.) this season, Harden will still be the top dog on offense.

It also helps that the Rockets’ new head coach, Mike D’Antoni, is known for his ability to elevate NBA offenses. With D’Antoni calling the shots, Harden should have a plethora of chances to put the ball in the basket on Wednesday.

Harden may not play much defense, but he sure knows how to keep opposing defenses on their toes. As the sole star of this Houston team now, he’ll take over the game and tally at least 40 points before the clock strikes zero.

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1. Lakers Stick It To Former HC Mike D’Antoni

Some folks may not know this because of how poorly it went, but D’Antoni was the Lakers’ head coach not too long ago. Now he’s in charge of the Rockets and happens to be starting his time with Houston against his former team.

At least on Wednesday, the Lakers will be better than D’Antoni’s new team.

There will be plenty of scoring, and not a lot of defense. However, Los Angeles clearly wins in terms of coaching ability (in my opinion), which should give them the edge in a matchup that is more even than many would assume.

It’s the opener for both of these teams, so expect a lot of ugly basketball. Harden will likely be his usual human turnstile on defense, and I’d anticipate some streaky shooting from the Lakers’ group of rising youngsters.

However, when all is said and done, Los Angeles should sneak away with a win in a high-scoring affair.

The post-Kobe Bryant era has begun, and the Lakers will start it off with a win. It may not be a real indicator of how the 2016-17 season will pan out, but I’m sure Walton and Co. will take it.