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Christian Wood says he ‘circled’ next two games vs. Anthony Davis, Lakers

ben dubose
·3 min read

For rising star Christian Wood, Houston’s next two games versus the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t just two out of 72 in the 2020-21 regular season.

For starters, the Lakers (7-3) are the defending NBA champions, so they’re the obvious measuring stick for every team. But they also have the league’s gold standard for big men in Anthony Davis.

As such, for an emerging talent like Wood with the Rockets, it’s a perfect opportunity to see where he’s at, as a player. Here’s what Wood said after posting 22 points and 15 rebounds in just 27 minutes during Friday’s dominant victory by the Rockets (3-4) over the Orlando Magic.

There’s a few games that I’ve circled on the calendar… and playing against [Anthony Davis] and the Lakers is definitely a game I circled.

He’s a guy I’ve watched, with his moves. In my head, it’s going to be a fun matchup, and I’m going to go at him with everything I’ve got.

Davis, who is averaging 22.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Lakers, missed Friday’s home game versus Chicago with a right adductor strain. But it appeared to be a gametime decision, so it’s certainly possible — if not probable — that Davis returns in two days against a much stronger opponent on the road. The potential of a star-studded big man matchup against Wood certainly can’t hurt, either.

The Rockets remain below .500 on the new season, largely due to being ravaged by injuries and quarantines. But they feel they have some momentum after winning by 42 on Friday, and home games on Sunday and Tuesday against the defending champs will test that.

“It’s definitely early in the season, but these two games are going to show us where we’re at defensively. and even offensively, too,” said Wood, who is averaging more than 23 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game. “This is definitely going to be a test for us. I think guys are ready, and we’re starting to come into our own. This game was just a stepping stone. Heading into next game, we have to keep the same pressure.”

Tipoff of the first of two games between the Rockets and Lakers is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Central on Sunday at Houston’s Toyota Center.

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