In a fast-paced up-and-down game played in the afternoon as a part of an NBA marathon in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Houston Rockets have a 58-54 lead against the Washington Wizards at the half.
Washington, like most young teams, doesn't play much defense, allowing Luis Scola and Kevin Martin to combine for 25 points on 8-15 shooting.
The play of the day so far though belongs to Houston rookie Chandler Parsons, who soared above the Wizards front-line for a tip-in dunk:
What has to be concerning for Houston is the defensive side of the ball, as the Wizards, with a 1-11 record and a -12.5 point differential, are staying in the game thanks to big scoring efforts from John Wall and Jordan Crawford.
The last thing you want to do with a team like Washington, especially at home, is let them stay in the game into the fourth quarter, which could give them the confidence to steal a rare victory from a Houston team that can't afford to not take care of business against what has been the NBA's worst team this season.