Rockets at Knicks, Jan. 17: Lineups, how to watch, injury reports, uniforms
The Rockets (19-20) will wind down an increasingly miserable road trip with Wednesday’s game versus the New York Knicks (23-17). Houston is just 4-14 on the road this season, and they are 1-4 on the current six-game road trip, all versus Eastern Conference opponents.
This road stretch is Houston’s longest of the 2023-24 season and the longest for the franchise in more than a decade. And as the days have mounted, the performances have gotten gradually worse.
In the second and third games, the Rockets lost in overtime in Chicago before winning at Detroit. But since then, they’ve been largely dominated in a pair of losses at Boston and Philadelphia.
The good news is that while the Knicks are a quality team, they are generally viewed as a tier below the Celtics and 76ers. Thus, before finally heading home, Alperen Sengun and the Rockets could have a realistic opportunity to climb back to .500 and keep pace in an extremely tight race for the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference standings (and the final spot of the West play-in tournament).
Houston remains without valuable second-year forward Tari Eason, who has struggled with off-and-on soreness in his left lower leg since suffering a stress reaction in the 2023-24 preseason.
When and How to Watch
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17
Time: 6:30 p.m. Central
TV Channel: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass
Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)
Probable starting lineups
Houston Rockets (19-20)
Guard: Fred VanVleet
Guard: Jalen Green
Forward: Dillon Brooks
Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
Center: Alperen Sengun
New York Knicks (23-17)
Guard: Miles McBride
Guard: Donte DiVincenzo
Forward: OG Anunoby
Forward: Julius Randle
Center: Isaiah Hartenstein
Projected lineups are based on each team’s previous game.
Injury reports
Houston’s injury report lists Victor Oladipo (left patellar tendon repair) and Tari Eason (left lower leg injury management) as out, while Reggie Bullock (lower back pain) is questionable. Nate Hinton and Jermaine Samuels Jr. are in the NBA G League, while Nate Williams was recently recalled and is currently with the Rockets.
New York is listing Mitchell Robinson (left ankle surgery) as out, while Jalen Brunson (left calf contusion) and Josh Hart (left patellar tendinopathy) are both questionable. Brunson did not play for the Knicks in their last game on Monday (a home loss to Orlando).
Jan. 17 uniform choices
Rockets: Black Statement Edition
Knicks: White Association Edition
Latest interviews
Upcoming schedule
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