In the 2023-24 preseason opener for the Rockets, Houston hosts the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night at Toyota Center. The NBA game tips off at 7 p.m. Central and will be televised regionally on the newly branded Space City Home Network.
Assuming everyone is healthy, it will be the first chance for fans to watch flagship offseason signings Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in Houston uniforms. It will also be the home debut for newly drafted rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Both were first-round picks.
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While Thompson is expected to come off the bench, he might see some time matching up with Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, who is considered one of the league’s best young point guards. Thus, it could be a useful measuring stick as Thompson launches his career.
That assumes Haliburton plays, though. After playing for Team USA at this summer’s FIBA World Cup, Haliburton sat out Indiana’s preseason opener on Sunday in Memphis (a 127-122 loss), and his availability in Houston had not been announced as of late Monday.
Here’s our look at broadcast details and potential lineups. Based on training camp usage, new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka appears likely to begin the preseason with a starting unit of VanVleet, Brooks, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.
Indiana’s lineup is based on Sunday’s preseason opener.
Houston Rockets (0-0 preseason)
- Guard: Fred VanVleet
- Guard: Jalen Green
- Forward: Dillon Brooks
- Forward: Jabari Smith Jr.
- Center: Alperen Sengun
Indiana Pacers (0-1 preseason)
- Guard: T.J. McConnell
- Guard: Bruce Brown
- Forward: Bennedict Mathurin
- Forward: Obi Toppin
- Center: Myles Turner
Rockets injury update heading into the first preseason game tomorrow: none. There are 20 guys with the team. They won’t all play. But some regulars that play in the first half will not in the second half, Udoka said.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) October 9, 2023
Tyrese Haliburton is not in uniform, won’t play. Daniel Theis also out. (World Cup guys)
With both Haliburton & Andrew Nembhard out, T.J. McConnell is their only point guard available. He’s starting.
Carlisle didn’t want to tip lineups/minutes pregame so, as he said, stay tuned
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) October 9, 2023
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