Rockets to Zoom Past the Nuggets

The Houston Rockets, before this season began, was one of the favorites to take and dominate the Western Conference.

Alas, with all the injuries to stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, and to role players Rafer Alston, Bob Sura and Derek Anderson (traded to Miami), the Rockets find themselves four games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for that last and final playoff spot in the West.

When Tracy McGrady went down, the Rockets went on streaks where they didn't do anything but lose basketball games. Whenever T-Mac goes, the Rockets go, and they can't afford to lose T-Mac again at this point of the season.

T-Mac and Yao Ming are playing awesome together right now but the Rockets already dug too deep a hole that not even T-Mac and Yao can pull themselves up from. Well, at least, they're giving it a shot, even if it costs T-Mac more than his sore back.

On Friday, the Houston Rockets will face a Denver Nuggets team riding high from an improbable win over the insanely powerful Detroit Pistons.

The Nuggets defeated the Detroit Pistons, 98-87, using a formidable offensive tandem of Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin. The two combined for a whopping 53 points.

To say that this is a critical game for Houston, could very well be an understatement.

If these guys want to make the playoffs, then by all means, they MUST make that push now! This Houston team is made to win the championship and it will be a shame if they can't even make it to the playoffs.

Pick the Houston Rockets to win over the tough Denver Nuggets.