The Houston Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday as the 2014-15 NBA season tips off. The game starts at 10:30 p.m. ET. Watch the live stream or listen to the radio broadcasts via the links provided below.
All eyes will be on Kobe Bryant as he makes his return to the court. He played in only six games last season before injuring his knee, and the future Hall of Famer appears bent on proving to his critics he still has it.
But it's not just Bryant who some are doubting. After the loss of Pau Gasol and the failure to sign a big-name free agent, not many see the Lakers as even reaching the playoffs this season.
"I love the fact that pretty much everyone has written us off," said first-year Lakers coach Byron Scott, via ESPN. "That's obviously fuel to the fire. I'm going to use that to talk to our players about how people are viewing us as a basketball team. I love the fact that everybody is doubting us."
With an aging Bryant and a questionable supporting cast, the Lakers are poised to focus on the defensive side of the ball to keep them in games.
"We've got to really tighten up defensively, which is a different style that we're used to playing," Bryant said, referring to former coach Mike D'Antonio run-and-gun offense. "But it's a fun style. You've got to be more aggressive, get down in the passing lanes and take more chances."
Houston will likely make the postseason, but not many expect them to make a deep run. They lost small forward Chandler Parsons in the offseason to the Dallas Mavericks and replaced him with former Washington Wizards small forward Trevor Ariza, who excelled last season in part because of playing with an excellent point guard - a position Houston is weak at.
Watch the live stream HERE, or listen to the radio broadcast HERE (HOU) and HERE (LAL).
