Month: December 2018

In Search of a Winning Trail, Reeling Rockets Return Home to Face Blazers

The Rockets return home, back to Toyota Center on Tuesday night, to take on another competitive Western Conference foe, the Portland Trailblazers. Houston hopes some home-cooking will turn the season around. The squad is coming off a winless, 3-game road-trip, including a few heartbreaking losses. The Rockets were more than capable of winning those games. They were given an ample amount of opportunities to grab a W on the trip, but the team simply couldn’t manage to close games when it mattered most. Hopefully, the friendly confines of Toyota Center will bring Houston some much-needed success. A season hangs in the balance tomorrow night. Portland is currently riding a two-game winning streak. They have the usual suspects in play tomorrow night, including one of the league’s most talented backcourts in Rocket-killer Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The Rockets have the league’s best backcourt, even though Chris Paul is nearing the end of his prime. Hopefully CP3 and the MVP will show the best aspects of their craft and finally close a game and lead Houston to a win in their most important game of the season. Lost this one, and Houston’s in a real hole. The Rockets record currently stands at 11-14. Houston can’t afford to fall 4 games below .500, further deeper down the rabbit hole, if they truly want to save their season. The Rockets keep saying they have time to turn things around, but time is running out with each passing dismal performance. Tuesday night, Houston has an opportunity to take the first step toward turning things around against a Blazers team that always plays well in Houston. The Rockets need to show some fight. The squad needs to show some fight. They should be ready, they’ve heard the talk and the noise, and it’s time they start proving that they’re a Championship contender. A victory over last year’s 3-seed in the West would be a solid start. The Rockets can’t afford to enter Thursday’s showdown with LeBron and the Lakers on a 4-game losing streak. One of the handful of teams battling for position in the playoff standings, Portland will be a tough out, but Houston has more than enough talent to get the job done. They just need to show a little more heart. Toyota Center should be pumping on Tuesday night, and the Rockets have won 5 of their last 6 games at home. Everyone needs to get on board for Houston. The captains, Harden and Paul need to step up, and everyone else needs to anchor the boat forward. Now is the time to finally right the ship. It’s lift-off time, Houston. The Rockets need to start blazing their own path up the standings. Not Thursday against the Lakers, that’s too late. Tomorrow night, against Portland, otherwise the season on this ship may have sunk. And that winning trail, the one the Rockets keep insisting they’ll find, just might be out of sight.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

Jersey Colors:

Portland Trailblazers (15-11) – White

Houston Rockets (11-14) – Black

TV: 7 PM CT – NBA TV, ATT Sportsnet

Houston Loses Lead Late, Mavs Devastate Rockets, 107-104

Speechless. I’ll try and write something that is comprehensible but I’m still in a bit of a shock from Saturday’s night’s absolute collapse of a game from Houston’s point of view. In a game that was hard-fought, with ties and lead changes for much of the night, the Rockets found themselves up 102-94, with a little over 3 minutes and change left on the clock. Houston even had the ball with a plethora of chances to extend that lead before they decided to collapse. Give Dallas credit. Their rookie phenom, Luka Doncic, went nuts in the final 3 minutes and sparked his own 11-0 to propel the Mavs comeback victory over the Rockets. Doncic proved why he’s the best rookie in the NBA this season. Houston proved they haven’t really solved any of their lingering problems. In those final three minutes, Chris Paul missed two consecutive free throws, in the clutch, something that happens maybe once in a 1,000 times. Luka Doncic hit tough shot after shot to quickly turn an 8-point Rockets lead into a Mavs lead they would never relinquish. Houston just couldn’t match up with the rookie. James Harden had 35 to lead the Rockets, but they just couldn’t match up with a more-balanced Dallas team when it mattered most. The MVP seemed to wear down by the end of the game and Paul was certainly gassed, with the biggest two missed free throws of his entire career coming at the worst possible time for Houston. The Rockets didn’t play a bad game. They fought hard for 45 minutes, but an NBA game in regulation is 48 minutes. When crunch time came, the Rockets were out of fuel. They were out-played by Dallas’ rookie sensation, and the rest of the Mavs in the final 3 minutes of the game. Houston was so close to getting back within one game of .500 (a win would have put them at 12-13, the loss knocked them to 11-14). They now remain 3 games below .500 for the third different time as the roller coaster continues. Hopefully, the ride will start going up soon. Time is running out on the Rockets and their season. If they want to have any chance at making the playoffs they need to start showing some of the resolve Dallas put on display to knock them in the mouth. They say “you learn something new every day”, hopefully the Rockets learned a lesson that will turn their season around after last night’s collapse. Otherwise, these outcomes will come as more of an expectation than a shock to the Rockets and their fans, as we are closing in on a third of the way through the season. Up next, the Rockets return home to take on the Portland Trailblazers, another tough Western foe, on Tuesday night. Maybe the Rockets learned something from last night’s collapse. Maybe they didn’t, and just took it as another loss, in a continually disappointing season. One in which time is slowly running out on the “we can still turn things around” train. The squad is still confident they can turn things around, but actions speak louder than words. We’ll see on Tuesday night if the Rockets can finally get their act together.

Rockets Visit Dallas as Road Trip Ends, Desperate For a Win

The Rockets make the final pit stop on their 3-game road in Dallas this afternoon as they aim to close out the trip with a victory. Houston would love to get some redemption against the Mavs for the beating they gave the Rockets in Houston last week, as they won by 20 at Toyota Center in another embarrassing Rockets loss that is starting to evolve into a season full of head-scratchers. Houston will try and stop that evolution tonight in Dallas as they try and prevent falling farther down in the harsh Western Conference. The Rockets need to treat tonight’s game as a must-win and come out with energy, focus, and motivation from the opening tip. Hopefully, the squad as a whole will have a bounce back game and get back into the win column. The Rockets really need this game. Dallas has been playing great basketball of late, led by rookie sensation Luka Doncic, who put on a show in Houston last week. Houston needs to rattle the rookie and really apply defensive pressure and hustle. The Rockets got plenty of rest in the previous game (due to them not really caring, resulting in a blowout) and they should be at their best tonight in Dallas against another competitive Western team in the playoff hunt. The Rockets will hope to shoot down the Mavs tonight in Dallas and return to Houston on a positive note. It’s too late in the season for Houston to fall 3 games below .500. With a win they’ll get back to within a game of .500. If they follow they’re motto and “Run As One”, the Rockets can return home one step a little closer to getting back on the right track.

American Airlines Center – Dallas, Texas

5 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

Rockets Blown Out by Jazz, 118-91, in Embarrassing Rout

Houston, we have a real problem. Not just a, “oh, some guys are injured, they’ll be back and we’ll be ok” problem. Not just a, “oh, the new players aren’t quite adjusted into the system yet, just give them some time” problem. The problem, as much I hate to admit, is that this Rockets team is simply not that good. Other teams have figured them out. Houston was given a great opportunity to start the game inn Utah on Thursday night when the Jazz’ defensive beast and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, was ejected early in the first quarter. Still, the Rockets provided little resistance, and couldn’t take advantage of the open paint area left by Gobert’s absence. Even on a night when Utah’s best player (and regular Rocket killer) Donovan Mitchell provided only 6 points in one his worst efforts of the season, Houston just wasn’t good enough. Utah’s two best players (Mitchell and Gobert) combined for a measly 8 points, yet the Jazz were able to handily beat the Rockets by 27 points. The game was hard to watch (for Rockets fans). Jazz power forward Derrick Favors took over for Rudy Gobert and bullied Houston in the paint, on his way to 24 points and 10 rebounds. Not a single player wearing a Rockets uniform scored more than 15 points in the game (for the first time all season, and I don’t remember the last time that happened). It doesn’t make sense, other than the fact that the Rockets just aren’t putting in the effort in practice and aren’t playing hard enough come game-time. Houston has two of the best guards of all time in James Harden and Chris Paul in their backcourt, yet the team is staggeringly worse this season. Maybe the two future Hall-of-Famers had too much fun last season, and are satisfied with cruising through the schedule like they’ll be an automatic playoff team. I hope they take a look at the standings because this season, the West is a LOT better. The Rockets just aren’t playing hard enough and are sleepwalking through the regular season like they can just put on a uniform and they’ll punch their ticket to the playoffs. Not this year, guys. Not in a season, which has never seen the Western Conference with so many teams who will legitimately have a chance to make the playoffs come springtime when the season winds down. Teams building chemistry, yet pummeling each other as they etch, crawl, punch, and climb their way to try to earn a playoff bid. The Rockets are taking the most of these punches. They currently sit in 14^th place out of 15 teams in the West (the 15^th being the Phoenix Suns, the NBA’s worst). The loss of Trevor Ariza was huge not just on the court for Houston, but in the locker room and off the court.as well. Trevor is a fun guy to be around. The Rockets loved playing with him and he was a veteran who took things seriously yet knew how and when to have a good time and understood all the little things it takes in the regular season on the long journey to win an NBA championship (Ariza won a title in 2009 with the Lakers). The Rockets will need to get him back once he’s available via trade Dec. 15^th (something that has been rumored). Otherwise, things don’t look they’re going to change much and the Houston could very well find itself on the outside looking in come playoff time. “I’m just not having fun anymore”, said Eric Gordon, among other things, after the shameful loss. Neither are the fans. And the team doesn’t look like they’re having fun. Last year, the chemistry was evident. You could just see it at games as guys rooted for each other and were just so happy to be doing what they love. Trevor Ariza was a huge part of that chemistry. This year, the squad looks confused and rattled. As if they expect they’ll be in the playoffs, no matter how much effort or attention to detail they give in the regular season. Harden and Paul need to be better leaders. The Rockets have way too much talent, and the team as a whole has way too much talent, versatility, and experience to be playing like an NBA bottom-feeder. They have the potential to be one of the best teams in the NBA, like they proved last season. If Houston thinks they can do just show up and yield positive results without playing hard, they’re in for a shorter season than they might expect. Simply put, the Rockets are the most disappointing team in the NBA at the moment. There is no reason for them to have this sort of record, with their current roster, at this point in the season. There are no excuses they can make. Up next for the Rockets, they travel to Dallas to take on the Mavs, the same team who smashed the Rockets in Houston only 10 days ago. Houston needs to start winning. Now. Starting tomorrow afternoon in Dallas. Or the Rockets might be going on vacation sooner than they expect.

Rockets Search for the Right Tune Against Jazz in Battle of Desperados

Houston really needs to warm up. And get hot. A streak is needed. Roster moves have been made. The Rockets finally signed Gary Clark to a 3-year deal worth $3.7 million. The squad waived impressive, gritty newcomer Danuel House, a surprise to many, considering House had been playing brilliantly as a glue guy for the Rockets, doing all the dirty work, and had come out of the blue basically to provide instant hustle, hard work, and hustle (he’s also a fellow Houstonian). However, the move was initiated in order to open up space for a roster spot via a trade in the coming days, according to reports. Seems like Daryl Morey, always on his toes, has a trick or two up his sleeve. Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets travel to freezing Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz. Not the warmest place by any means, but a victory against a playoff-caliber squad in Utah on the road in front one of the NBA’s loudest crowds would be a nice kick-start victory that could send the Rockets on a much-needed winning streak. Despite their struggles and under-achievements this season a Western Conference that has never seen so many teams with playoff potential, the Jazz pounded the Rockets earlier this season in Houston in the first matchup between the two squads this season. Utah always has one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA year-in, year-out. Tonight, will be a tough challenge for the Rockets. If they want to prove their still a Championship-caliber team this is the sort of matchup that can turn into a statement game for Houston and their season. The Jazz’ young star Donovan Mitchell always seems to have his best games against Houston, and Ricky Rubio has been in a nice groove running the point, considering how injury plagued the Spaniard has been throughout his career. Houston will also need to keep their eye on sharpshooter Joe Ingles, who also seems to shine brightest he’s playing the Rockets. Clint Capela will have another tough battle down low tonight against the Stifle Tower aka Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Another brilliant opportunity for Clint Capela to show why he deserves to be (and is rightfully so) an All-Star this season. The Rockets need to silence the crowd early, and come out with a vengeance as they were embarrassed by the Jazz earlier this season at Toyota Center, 100-89, on October 24^th. Times have changed. The Rockets roller coaster season continues. The Jazz have had a similar season of ups and downs. Let’s hope they can find the all the right notes in Utah to start putting a winning season together. Houston, despite being in 13^th in the jammed West standings, is only a game out of the 8^th and final playoff spot. Each game is drastically more important as we get deeper into a season that looks like 14 teams will be playoff contenders in the harsh West. Tonight, the Rockets have a priceless opportunity to move one step closer to getting back in the playoff picture. Hopefully the Rockets have taken note.

Vivint Smart Home Arena – Salt Lake City, Utah

9:30 PM CT – TNT, ATT Sportsnet

Rockets Collapse in 2^nd Half as Wolves Howl Back and Prevail, 103-91

Back and forth we go. The Rockets just can’t seem to get over the hump, and stay there. They had finally climbed back to .500, with a record of 11-11 entering tonight’s contest. Houston started pretty hot and even got to the point where they were sitting pretty on a comfortable 19-point lead. Then the cold kicked in. After a halftime performance by Coolio, the rims seemed to freeze up for the Rockets and the Wolves jumped on Houston’s ice-cold 2^nd half shooting, howled back from a 14-point halftime deficit, and bit the Rockets in the back, as Houston fell 103-91 to the Wolves Monday night in Minnesota. After scoring 38 points in the 2^nd quarter to finish the 1^st half, the Rockets managed only 29 points in the 2^nd half, including a palsy 9 points in the 4^th quarter alone. Houston as a team made a mere 5 shots in the final 17 minutes of the game, as their hot shooting from the first half turned in the second half to resemble the weather outside Target Center. The Rockets were only 13 of 38 from the field, including an embarrassing 3 of 22 from beyond the arc. Among the positives, Houstonian and the newest member of the Rockets, Danuel House, had another strong effort, and showed he’s earning his playing time as the season progresses. Clint Capela had another strong game, and outplayed Wolves big man Towns in the first half, but this was a tale of two halves as Minnesota came out inspired in the second half. The uptick in their defensive pressure had an extreme effect on Houston’s inability to make a shot in the final half, which ultimately gave the Wolves confidence on offense, got their crowd back into the game, and caused the Rockets worst collapse of the season. The Beard led the way for the Houston with 29 points and 8 assists, but the Wolves were the deeper team Monday night. Towns led the way for the Wolves with 24, but they won behind inspired all around team-effort. Minnesota had 6 players in double figures compared to only 3 for the Rockets. After having 7 players in double figures in their previous game, this season has been truly a roller-coaster ride for the squad and its fans. The ride doesn’t get any easier as Houston visits a desperate Utah team on Thursday night. The Jazz are among 14 teams within 5 games of each other in the barbaric West. The Rockets will need to put up more of a fight on Thursday if they want to avoid falling further down the standings

Rockets Intent on Softening T-Wolves Bite Up North

Poised to do damage and move up in the ruthless Western Conference standings, the Rockets finally have a healthy team rounding into shape, and a roster that’s looking complete in terms of player availability. Brandon Knight, who was acquired (along with Marquess Chriss) in the Ryan Anderson deal with Phoenix this past offseason, has been called up from the G-League and marks another step toward the guard finally adding depth to Houston’s backcourt. Brandon Knight has the potential to be a very solid backup to Chris Paul at point guard if he can stay healthy, as he hasn’t played in an NBA game since 2015. Minnesota has been a much better ball club since getting rid of their resentful star Jimmy Butler (sent to Philadelphia in a trade last month), resulting in a 7-3 record in their last 10 games. The addition of RoCo (Robert Covington, who would fit perfectly on the Rockets) into the Wolves lineup has given them a perimeter veteran presence that aids rather than hampers (like Jimmy Butler did) the confidence in their young stars. This is the first matchup between the Western foes this season, and Houston needs to be ready to face a T-Wolves team where chemistry is no longer an issue. A rejuvenated Derrick Rose is having something of a comeback season, and Karl-Anthony Towns will pose another challenge in the post for Clint Capela to overcome. Towns is Minnesota’s best player and the young star has thrived since Butler’s departure. Tonight, Capela has another fantastic opportunity to put the league on notice that he is a force to be reckoned with by outplaying Towns. Houston’s big man has turned into a double-double machine, is having the best season of his career by far, and looks to build on his tremendous season tonight in Minnesota. The Rockets aim for 3 in a row and hope to calm the Wolves’ opportunistic view on their own season. This contest will be a lot tougher than the last two the Rockets have faced, but Houston seems to be in a groove, and the Wolves shouldn’t be able to have enough bite to stop any punches the Rockets throw Minnesota’s way.

Target Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota

7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

The Beard, Rockets, Tame Bulls 121-105, Get Back to .500

The Rockets closed out the Bulls 121-105 Saturday night from Toyota Center behind a well-rounded team effort. Houston had 7 different players score in double figures, the most they’ve had all season. The Bulls just didn’t have enough talent, although played hard enough to fight back from a 16-point first quarter deficit to make the contest slightly competitive in the 3^rd quarter. Zach LaVine led the way with 29 points for Chicago and Jabari Parker contributed 21 points and 12 rebounds. Other than that, the Rockets spoiled Chicago’s sophomore sensation Lauri Markkanen’s season debut. One of the surprise rookies from last year, Markkanen was held to 10 points and 4 rebounds by a tough Rockets defense. Houston is slowly rounding back into form and proving how important health is to the team, and their success. With a record of 11-11, the Rockets hope to remain above .500 for the rest of the season as the squad’s health improves. Nene finally played his first game of the season after being out due to injury, and had an efficient 4 points and 3 boards in a spare 12 minutes on the floor. The Beard had usual Beard numbers: 30 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists. Clint Capela had another double-double with 18 points and 15 boards. CP3 led the way in the distribution department, who had 12 points and dished out 13 dimes to lead the squad. Danuel House yet again received the most playing time out of new Rocket players, and the way he gives it his all on every possession, to go along with his hustle and grit, has been a hit with Mike D’Antoni and the coaching staff. They certainly picked the right guy to call up. Gary Clark only saw 3 minutes tonight, and despite his solid rookie campaign, if House keeps up his great play, it could limit Clark’s minutes. A good problem to have for Houston, as their depth is starting to return to form as the team gets fully healthy for the first time all season. “Everyone is much more efficient when we have a full roster” Harden commented after the game, and a full roster also lends the Beard, CP3, and other members of H-Town’s main cast some more much-needed rest in an early season that’s seen Houston’s stars log way too many minutes. The Rockets improved to 10-4 when Harden and Paul are both on the court, and if Houston can somehow stay healthy (which has been an issue this season and in the past), they are still the most dangerous threat to the Warriors’ seat on the throne. Up next, the Rockets hit the road for a 3-game trip against teams battling for playoff spots in the West. First, they travel north to frosty Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Monday night. The T-Wolves have improved tremendously since getting rid of disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler, whom Houston had tried and tried again to get via trades earlier this season as the T-Wolves wouldn’t accept any of Houston’s offers. Butler wound up in Philly and the Wolves have been a better team since. The Rockets need to keep the focus they’ve had since getting CP3 back in order to get their 3^rd win in a row, as they aim to end a 3-game road losing streak.

Rejuvenated Rockets Set to Run the Bulls Out of Town

Houston is back home for a game and then they’ll hit the road again for a 4-game road trip as the season is more than well underway. The Rockets will try and host a Saturday Night Sweeping of the Bulls tonight at Toyota Center as they face Chicago for the final time this season (unless Michael Jordan pulls a Benjamin Button, rejoins the Bulls, and they meet in The Finals). Houston won the previous matchup in the Windy City and they’ll look to build on last night’s Alamo City Destruction to get back to .500 in a Western Conference in which 14 of the 15 teams (sorry, Phoenix) have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. Houston may be getting Nene back tonight for the first time all season, as the veteran big has battled an injury all year long. It’s another step in the right direction as the Rockets try and finally get a full, healthy roster together for the first time all season. The Bulls are still without their starting point guard Kris Dunn, injured in the opener. The Rockets need to stay focused, the Bulls, despite the record, are no joke. Zach LaVine has been tearing it up for Chicago as they develop their young players and work through the rebuilding process. Every process takes time. The Rockets want to make sure this one takes a little more time for Chicago and bulldoze their way to consecutive victories.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

CP3 and the Green Light Return, Rockets Stomp Spurs, 136-105

Sometimes a little help from the doc is all you need. And several Rockets players who were nursing injuries returned to spark the squad to a MUCH-needed 31-point demolition over the struggling Spurs in San Antonio. Houston led from start to finish, just about, and built a 23-point lead by halftime. The Rockets shots’ were falling, and their defense was aggressive that left the Spurs tired and careless. CP3 was his usual floor-leading self (14 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds) while Gerald Green (aka Green Light) had 11 points to go along with 3 boards and dimes apiece, didn’t miss a beat bringing energy off a recovering Houston bench. James Harden had another near triple double and Eric Gordon continued his hot steak, splashing seven 3’s for 26 points on the night. Clint Capela had another monstrous double-double (27 points, 12 boards) in a season full of them. Capela has more than proven he can play with the best of the NBA’s big men (he outplayed Spurs All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge tonight), and if Clint keeps this up, he deserves an All-Star nod for the first time in his career. Newcomer Danuel House received the most minutes out of new Rocksts in the rotation, and continued to build on his solid play after being brought up from the G-League. Most importantly though, besides the stellar all-around play, was the rest provided for guys like the Beard, P.J. Tucker, Capela, EG, and others who’d been tasked with logging heavy minutes due to CP3 and other teammates’ injuries. This game also proved, that when healthy, the Houston Rockets are still one of the best teams in the league, and the main contender to dethrone Golden State. Red Nation is 9-4 when The Beard and CP3 both play, a winning percentage near .700, lethal for a team in this year’s barbaric West. It’s still only one game, but the Rockets have to approach the season as an onslaught of one-game battles, as they themselves battle to get back atop the standings in the merciless Western Conference. Houston dealt the Spurs their second consecutive loss by 30 or more, a rarity in the Popovich era. The Rockets can’t let their foot off the gas. Houston will aim to bring this swagger, spurred by their Alamo City thrashing, back home tomorrow night when the Chicago Bulls come to town. They’re coming off a 107-88 defeat in Detroit last night, and the Rockets hope to do the same to the Bulls in H-Town on Saturday night.