Month: January 2021

Rockets in Desperate Need of a Win as Suns Stop in H-Town

Homecoming.    Revenge Games.    Cast Away.   

“I know what I have to do now, I’ve got to keep breathing because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?” A quote from the film Cast Away, as the Rockets try and prevent the Suns from rising to victory in Houston on Wednesday night. The Rockets are in the midst of playing 14 of 18 games on the road, so this homecoming is a brief bit stop for the squad in Houston. And they’ve fared much better at home, compared to the road. These new-look Rockets are an even 3-3 at home, opposed to a torrid 1-5 away from the Toyota Center. Houston will get a chance to get their fourth victory at home tonight, but it won’t be easy. Former-Rocket Chris Paul, along with his new team, the upstart Phoenix Suns, battle the Rockets in a pivotal game for Houston on Wednesday night.

The Rockets desperately need a win over the Suns tonight. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves have a worse record (3-9) in the West than Houston. Despite their position, the Rockets are still only a few games out of a playoff-spot. It’s still early in the season, and the squad has plenty of games left (60) to get their act together. They really need John Wall. But Houston’s newest point guard will be out for a fourth-straight game with an injury relating to his knee. He’s listed as day-to-day, and boy today’s a day the Rockets could use Wall. Not only will they be trying to stop one of Chris Paul’s “Revenge Games,” the team will be tasked at trying to stop Devin Booker, one of the most underrated All-Stars in the game today. They’ll also have to contend with DeAndre Ayton, the young big who’s finally rounding into form for Phoenix. Ayton’s off to his best start to a season in his young career, registering 18 points and 16 boards in the Suns’ loss on Monday in Memphis. Christian Wood will have his hands full defensively. P.J. Tucker and Jae’Sean Tate will need all the help, as they help out on the defensive end. It’s a nightmare matchup for the Rockets tonight. They’re going to have to play so much harder, and hope they make more than the usual percentage of shots, to beat this Suns team. A squad fueled by Chris Paul, who probably loves winning in Houston more than any other city. A John Wall-less Rockets will have to be ready for everyone to bring something to the court. Houston needs more emphasis on rebounding and transition defense. Secondly, and this will come with more time and chemistry, the Rockets need to lower their turnover rate. Stop giving the ball away.

There’s no reason to panic, but at 4-8, Houston can’t afford to keep losing, despite not being at full-strength. Eventually, they’ll dig themselves too deep a hole. And they’ll never be able to climb out. That’s if the losses continue to pile up. The Rockets are playing a young, talented Suns team led by a vindictive Chris Paul. All signs point to a victory in Phoenix’s favor tonight. But Houston has to find a way to muster the effort and resilience to pull-out the win, in their brief pit-stop back home. The Rockets have to creep closer to .500, and improve to 5-8 by beating the Suns. A loss, and 4-9 begins to look mountainous. It isn’t just the start to the season. We’re well into this campaign, this is the first chapter. And Houston returns home, intent on saving its season. Phoenix will be amped and psyched to beat up on a less-talented Rockets team. Can Victor Oladipo have a repeat performance? And maybe get assistance from his teammates? Or will the Rockets be cast away, as the sun sets on their season? We’ll find out tonight, as the tide that is CP3 surges in with revenge, hell-bent on getting another win in H-Town. The Rockets better hope the shots falls, or there won’t be anything sunny about this game for Houston.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Phoenix Suns (7-5):  Black “City Edition”

Houston Rockets (4-8):  Blue “City Edition”

 

TV:  8:30 PM CT  –  ESPN,  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Oladipo Dazzles in Debut, But Bulls Out-Run Rockets, 125-120

Special Start.    Where’s Johnny?    Awaiting Full Artillery.

Victor Oladipo, the Rockets newest star, and possibly their best player, said he’s happy with the squad, and believes “special days” are ahead. For now, those days will have to wait. Despite a dazzling debut for the Rockets by Victor Oladipo, Houston fell short in Chicago, 125-120, and dropped to 4-8 on the season. After a torrid first quarter, which saw the Rockets score only 16 points and dig themselves a 12-point hole, Houston got back in the game. The combination of too much Zach LaVine and Lauri Maurkkenen for the Bulls, along with terrible rebounding and consistent turnover frequency for the Rockets kept Houston from capping their road trip with a win. LaVine led Chicago with 33 points, and Maurkkanen played Robin, chipping in with 18 points. If there’s a silver lining to be found in this loss, it’s Oladipo’s performance. In his first game with his new team, Victor scored 32 points on an efficient 13-for-23 shooting performance. Houston’s newest star also dished out 9 dimes, and grabbed 5 boards in his Rockets debut. Vic’s showing is a good sign for the future in Houston, at least for this season, but the Rockets really need to be at full-strength to have any shot at making noise in the playoffs. And that starts with John Wall.

Where’s John Wall. We know he’s been out with a mysterious knee injury. A wound that’s considered day-to-day, only until the weeks unravel, and a month goes by. Hopefully, Wall is on the verge of a return. The Rockets need a playmaker with Harden long gone to Brooklyn. John Wall showed signs earlier this season he can still handle the rock with the best in the world. However, Wall’s had a history with injuries. And the fact he’s missed this much time is a slightly concerning. Hopefully, it’s just a result of seeing too much action after being sidelined over two years due to injury, and his body needing time to adjust back to the “playing days” of the NBA regular season. Whatever it is, Houston needs their Wall, or this squad will have trouble even making the playoffs.

Along with their star point guard, the mischievous Danuel House has now missed the team’s last 8 games, who is self-isolating. It’s unknown whether his absence is related to the virus, or just to a man who’s slowly seemed to unravel in Houston. On social media, House has been promoting working on his rap album. Not a good sign for an NBA player in the midst of a season. Especially the only guy who was kicked out of Orlando’s bubble last season. His departure definitely made the Rockets worse on the court, and who knows, could’ve been the beginnings of Harden’s inkling to leave Houston. Regardless, the Rockets need to be at full-strength, desperately needing Wall back. With a roster 12-deep at the minimum, they can potentially do some unexpected damage this season. But, if they keep having multiple guys missing every game, it’s going to be hard making the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference, where the Rockets have already struggled, with a 4-8 record overall to start this season. Hopefully Houston gets back to full-strength quickly, or those special days Oladipo mentioned… could be further away than he thought.

Rockets Visit Chicago, Prepped to Run with the Bulls

Ola-Debut.    Musical Chairs.    The WOW Factor.

“It’s a new energy, a positive energy. It’s great to be a part of,” the newest Rocket, Victor Oladipo, said during his introductory press conference. And finally, tonight, Oladipo will make his debut for Houston, as the Rockets try and outrun the Bulls in Chicago. Victor is by far the most valuable piece Houston acquired in the James Harden trade. Although rumors persist about Oladipo’s desire to play in Miami, Victor’s in Houston, at least for this season. And he’s a free agent this summer, so he may depart elsewhere, after a short stint. However, Oladipo is one of the most like-able players in the league, and I could see him being a perfect fit with the Rockets. On Monday night, he gets his first chance to show Houston what he can do on the court.

The Rockets were shorthanded during their two-game trip in San Antonio. Houston only had nine available players for the first game, and even less, with only eight in the second. Oladipo’s debut will give the Rockets some needed firepower. As will the returning DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Gordon. Both didn’t play in San Antonio, and their presence allows Houston to creep closer to full strength. The squad is still without John Wall and Danuel House Jr.

It’s been a season of musical chairs for Houston’s roster. The Rockets have seemingly had a different starting lineup every game, but hopefully consistency will arise once the injury bug is ridden. And once they get those Wall and House return, this team has the potential to do more damage than most people think. The Rockets are a much deeper squad than the pundits imagine, especially is Oladipo fully buys in, and plays well alongside Wall. Vic won’t get a chance to play with John tonight, but he will get his first taste of pick and roll action with the other part of Houston’s WOW factor, Christian Wood. Houston takes on a young Bulls team led by Zach LaVine. Their point guard, Coby White is having a breakout year, and they also boast one of the best rookies in the league, in Patrick Williams. Nonetheless, the Rockets have the talent to beat to Bulls. It’s a matter of Oladipo gelling with his teammates, and truly becoming a part of that new energy.

Despite the departure of Harden, the Rockets have a big-three of their own. They may not be as potent as another big three in the league, but these three players have yet to play a game together. And they are: John Wall, Victor Oladipo, and Christian Wood. The WOW Factor. Also Houston’s best chance of winning lies in the hands of these three players. If these guys can stay healthy all season, and play up to their potential, the Rockets will be the West’s dark horse. We’ll have to wait a few days to see the trio in action. And the squad needs to avoid falling any any further in the standings. At 4-7, Houston will have twice as many losses as wins with a loss tonight. If they can pull off the victory, they’ll still only be two games under .500. It may not be the shiniest matchup, but tonight’s game is huge for the Rockets in determining the direction the squad will be taking, and potentially some of their players, this season. And tonight, after a bit of waiting time, we get our first look at Victor Oladipo, who, for this energetic Rockets team, could end up being the most important part.

 

United Center:  Chicago, Illinois

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (4-7):  White

Chicago Bulls (5-8):  Black “City Edition”

 

TV:  7 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Run Out of Steam Late, Crumble to Spurs, 103-91

Eight Isn’t Enough.    The Jones Show.    Empty Tank.

Same teams, same place… different outcome. Houston split their Texas Two-Step in San Antonio, falling to the Spurs 103-91 on Saturday afternoon. Registering only 8 available players, the Rockets put up a reasonable fight, and even led for most of the game. Houston just ran out of steam in the fourth quarter. Mason Jones, in his first career-NBA start, was a pleasant surprise for the Rockets. Jones, who’s expected to head to the Orlando Bubble for the G-League in February, made the most of his opportunity on Saturday evening. Jones led the team in scoring, notching 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting. The youngster showed he’s capable of providing Houston with another decent playmaker, given that Jones stays on the squad, and avoids a drop down to the G-League. Christian Wood was spectacular again for the Rockets. Wood snagged a career-high 18 boards, and scored 24 points, but Houston just ran out of steam against a fully-healthy Spurs squad.

Ben McLemore got the offense rolling early for Houston, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter. Jae’Sean Tate got into early foul trouble, which didn’t help matters for the Rockets, and P.J. Tucker couldn’t hit the rim, shooting 1-for-9 from the floor. Still, Houston led for most of the first half, and stuck with San Antonio, until tired legs eventually buried the Rockets in the fourth quarter. Had the squad had another body or two, Houston could’ve definitely won this game, and swept their Alamo Two-Step. San Antonio just had more armory in this one. Jakob Poeltl was the player of the game for the Spurs, notching 30 minutes off the bench en route to 13 points and 11 boards. His size was a problem for this undermanned, out-sized Rockets team.

Houston will be getting more bodies back as they head to Chicago to finish their three-game road trip. Victor Oladipo is expected to make his Rockets debut, and Eric Gordon and DeMarcus Cousins will be returning from their respective injuries. As for their stop in San Antonio, having a combined 17 players for 2 games, the Rockets can’t be all that upset about splitting the pair under these difficult circumstances. If P.J. Tucker makes a few more shots, and Tate stays out of foul trouble, this outcome in the Alamo City could’ve been different.

Rockets Battle Spurs Again in the Alamo City

Rematch Time.    Oladip-out?    Rinse, Wash, Repeat.

Everyone loves a good rematch. Well this afternoon in San Antonio, the new-look Rockets will square-off against the Spurs once again. Houston took the first game of this two-game set on Thursday, 109-105, and they’ll try and make it 2-0 on their Alamo trip with a victory on Saturday afternoon. Wall is still questionable, as is Gordon, and Danuel House Jr. remains out as well. But the biggest question, as James Harden likely makes his debut for the Brooklyn Nets tonight, why is it taking so long for Victor Oladipo to arrive in Houston?

It’s well known in basketball circles, that Oladipo’s preferred destination is the Miami Heat. Oladipo will be a free-agent after this season, so hopefully he plays his rear off in Houston, knowing the better he looks, the more his value will rise this summer. Worst case scenario is Oladipo hols out, and refuses to play, which would put the Rockets in a tough situation. We’ll know soon enough what the deal is with Victor Oladipo, but for now, these Rockets just need to keep playing hard with the available guys on the roster.

And playing hard is pretty much the ingredient for their second win in a row on Saturday. The Rockets and Spurs, as they stand with their current available rosters, aren’t heavy on talent. No one will be dropping 40 points this afternoon in the Alamo City. The harder team is going to win this one. Whoever comes out with more energy, and passion, takes Saturday’s matinee matchup. The Rockets came out with great energy, following Jae’Sean Tate’s lead on Thursday. They’ll look to do the same on Saturday afternoon… get ready for a great rematch.

 

AT&T Center:  San Antonio, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (4-6):  Blue

San Antonio Spurs (6-6):  White

 

TV:  4 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Wood Leads Rockets to First Road Win, 109-105, Over Spurs in First Game Without Harden

An Era Has Begun.    What Can Brown Do For You?    Do It Again.

With immense changes to the franchise’s future, the Rockets finally played their first game without James Harden, and it went better for the squad than many predicted. Houston came out energized, and freed, as if the constraints of Harden’s presence really was holding the team back from achieving its potential. Without nearly three starters (John Wall, Victor Oladipo, and Eric Gordon), the Rockets held on to beat the Spurs in a tight match, 109-105, Thursday night in San Antonio. Wood showed that’s Harden’s departure won’t effect his own efficiency. The Rockets big man led the way for Houston, scoring 27 points, grabbing 15, and blocking 3 shots.

With Houston being very undermanned, Sterling Brown played a career-high 37 minutes, and didn’t disappoint. Brown scored a season high 23 points, and shot over 50% from the field. Sterling has been stellar in any minutes he’s seen this season. Look for his minutes to increase after Thursday’s performance.

Without any true facilitators on the floor, Jae’Sean Tate stepped into the role with ease, dishing out 10 assists to lead Houston, and chipping in 13 points to go with his usual energy. P.J. Tucker had 10 points and 6 boards in the first game he’s played without Harden on the roster in Houston. He gave coach Stephen Silas an emphatic chest-bump after the impressive road-win. After all this team has been through with Harden’s drama to start the season, the squad looks like they’re playing with the weight of the world off their shoulders. They’re finally free.

We’ll see if the Rockets can carry this over to another game, against the same team, in the same building. Houston and San Antonio will do battle again on Saturday in the Alamo City. It’s unknown at this time if Wall, Oladipo, or Gordon will be back, but Thursday’s showing was certainly a promising sign for the future if this Rockets franchise.

Rockets Visit Spurs as a New Era in Houston Basketball Begins

New Age.    Battered Rockets.    Redemption Season.

A new age in Houston Rockets basketball gets under way as the Rockets visit their in-state rival San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. This is Houston’s first game after the Harden era.

John Wall and Eric Gordon are out with injuries. Houston will rely heavily on Christian Wood tonight if they want to beat the Spurs, and snap their losing streak.

Changing times start Thursday night in San Antonio. Hopefully, the Rockets can find new life in their youth and fresh faces, and prove they’re better off without Harden. Tonight’s their first chance to prove to everyone who thinks Houston is down and out, that they’re wrong. Buckle up… redemption season gets under way in the Alamo City on Thursday night. 

 

AT&T Center:  San Antonio, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (3-6):  White

San Antonio Spurs (6-5):  Black

 

TV:  6:30 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Hardened Loss:  Rockets Collapse to Lakers, 117-100, as an Era Ends in Houston

Facelift.    Candid Cousins.    Gone… Like the Wind.

The truth hurts. It’s part of life. And the iconic movie quote, “frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” from the classic film Gone With the Wind implies Rockets fans need to accept the painful truth: James Harden has played his last game as a Rocket. We all saw this coming, but… this soon? It was only a few days ago Houston expressed confidence they would be able to retain the Beard for at least the remainder of the season. it was evident from the opening tip, Houston was in trouble against L.A. again. The Rockets dug themselves a 21 point first quarter hole, and never escaped, as the Lakers demoralized the Rockets, 117-100, and officially ended the James Harden Era in Houston. After the game, Harden spoke publicly for the first time about his desire to be traded. When asked about his stance, the Beard merely threw his teammates under the bus, saying they weren’t “good enough”, and this situation “can’t be fixed,” while expressing his frustration about a lack of team chemistry. What’s frustrating, for those of us who’ve been following this saga all along, is that Harden’s at the root of all the chaos. The Beard is the poisonous chemical  that can’t make the chemistry right in Houston. Everyone on this Rockets team bought-in this season to play for the ultimate goal, everyone except Harden. An especially nonchalant turnover early in the second half signaled Harden almost literally giving up on his team. Had the Beard bought in with a fresh, talented roster, the Rockets would be at least 5-4 right now, and headed in a different direction. But, after Harden’s comments, the team had enough.

Coach Stephen Silas said he had difficulty sleeping Tuesday night. Houston even held Harden away from practice on Wednesday, hours before dealing him to the Brooklyn Nets. But the most powerful words out of this entire situation came from DeMarcus Cousins: “The disrespect started way before any interview. The other 14 guys have done nothing to him. We’ve only shown up to work like everybody else. It’s completely unfair to the rest of the guys in the locker room.” When asked (Tuesday night, after the blowout loss) if he thought Harden would play for the Rockets again, Cousins said “I don’t know. Quite honestly, I don’t care. And Boogie’s right. John Wall also took a subtle jab at the way Harden’s presence has plagued the team: “When you have certain guys in the mix that don’t want to buy in as one, it’s gonna be hard to do anything special as a basketball team… it hurts.” It’s sad, coming off career-defining injuries, Cousins and Wall have busted their rears to get back into playing shape, and their partnered with an apathetic James Harden.

Good news for Rockets fans, Houston is receiving an underrated star in Victor Oladipo, from the Indiana Pacers as part of the four-team trade. Oladipo should mesh well with Houston’s group, and is one of the more likable players in the league. I can’t say the same about Mr. Harden. And the Rockets got one of the strongest draft packages in history: a total of eight future first-round picks. The face, err beard, of the franchise may be gone, but it’s time to start a new chapter in Houston Rockets basketball. Reports surfaced saying Wall felt Harden was holding him and the squad back from reaching their full potential. Despite the pain in losing a player of Harden’s caliber, Houston had no choice, Harden was holding the Rockets hostage with each passing day.

Even with all his antics and quitting, after eight years of dominant offensive prowess on the court.. losing a generational player isn’t easy. And despite Houston getting an All-Star caliber player in return, Oladipo is no James Harden. Victor won’t have any 60-point triple-doubles. But he won’t sweep the rug up from under a franchise either. Harden may be hated by many, but he wanted what he felt was best. It’s the truth. One that painfully hurts. But, as they say, time heals all wounds. And if you’ve been following Harden and the Rockets this season, it was only a matter of when, not if, Harden would be traded. At this point in the Beard’s career, and the Rockets as a franchise, a break-up is what these two parties needed. Maybe it’s for the best Houston moves on from a superstar, albeit one who’s beginning the climb down from the peak of his career. At age 31, Harden has two to three years left max of superstar-level play. If he can even fit in the circus that is the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets got Harden at his best, and there’s no better time than now to say goodbye to James. He’s run his course in H-Town.. And frankly, Mr. Beard… I don’t give a damn.

Rockets Seek Different Result, Host Lakers in Rematch

A Night to Boogie.    Backcourt Boost.    Opposite Directions.

“The sky’s the limit for us,” new Rocket sensation Christian Wood said speaking on his team’s potential, as Houston prepares to host the defending Champs for the second straight game. And it’s night’s like tonight that’ll show if the sky really is the limit for this team. Houston is 3-5 in the standings. A win tonight puts them just game below .500 (4-5), while a loss plumes them three games below (3-6). The Rockets got smashed by the Lakers in their first meeting on Sunday night, 120-102, in a blowout that wasn’t close after the first quarter. DeMarcus Cousins was ejected early in the second quarter, with the Rockets trailing only 25-23, but that’s as close as Houston got. Boogie’s ejection swung the momentum entirely in L.A.’s favor, and the Lakers went on to feast on an inferior Rockets squad. If Houston has any chance to win the rematch tonight, they need Cousins to stay in the game. Boogie’s shown promise, despite playing limited minutes. The Rockets need him to help Wood contain Anthony Davis tonight. Cousins also gives Houston another big body to clog the lane, and force the Lakers to take three-pointers, not their specialty.

Boogie can play the entire game for all I care, but if James Harden and John Wall don’t have drastically superior performances than their ugly showing on Sunday night, the Rockets don’t have a chance to beat these Lakers. I know it’s still early in the season, and the team’s still adjusting to new coach Stephen Silas. But Houston’s running out of time. The Lakers are comfortably 8-3. A loss to put them at 8-4 would just be another loss for L.A., not a big deal. The Rockets on the other hand, can’t afford to fall to 3-6. That’s the cusp of a hole Houston has no business venturing down. If Harden and Wall don’t lead the way, and play with a sense of urgency, the Rockets are in trouble tonight. Hopefully, Houston’s backcourt realizes what they need to do on Tuesday night.

After tonight, the Rockets play 14 of their next 18 games on the road, and they still have yet to win outside of Houston this season. Which makes this game even more crucial. A boost by beating the best team in the NBA, and climbing back to within game of .500 is necessary for this Rockets team. Another loss, and Houston is looking at a dark road-trip ahead. After tonight, only 63 games remain. That may sound like a lot, but they go by fast. And if the Rockets dig themselves an early hole, and slip to 3-6, things won’t be looking so bright in Houston. Harden’s future, even though many think he’ll remain with the team for at least season, hangs in the balance. If this Rockets team can be competitive, and play like a contender, an elite team who could win the title, then Harden has a massively better chance of sticking around In Houston instead of sticking to his past trade demands. And as the Rockets battle the Lakers tonight, these are two teams headed in opposite directions. L.A. has won 6 of their past 7 games, and is fresh off a championship, favored to win again this year. Houston is off to a 3-5 start, with a copious amount of fresh faces and new characters. The Rockets have the talent to beat the Champs. Even though the Lakers may be the better team at this point, the Rockets boast 3 former All-Stars, and the breakout-player of the season in Christian Wood. A win tonight, and Wood might be right about this squad, the sky’s the limit for Houston. 4-5 after nine games, dealing with all the teams dealt with, isn’t too shabby. However, 3-6, with twice as many losses as wins, just paints an entirely different narrative. One where the sky may not be the limit in Houston… it just might be falling.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Los Angeles Lakers (8-3):  Yellow

Houston Rockets (3-5):  Blue “City Edition”

 

TV:  7 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW   

         

Rockets Fail to Launch, Fall to Lakers 120-102

Calming Cousins.    Work in Progress.    Different League.

“You’re just going to have to live with it,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said on DeMarcus Cousins’ ejection after the Lakers put on a beatdown in Houston, smashing the Rockets, 120-102. Cousins’ stood up for teammate Jae’Sean Tate, who was thrown to the ground by L.A.’s Markieff Morris after putting LeBron James in the spin-cycle on the other end of the floor with a brilliant offensive move. Cousins shoved Morris back, standing up for Tate. Morris immediately charged towards Cousins, and started barking at him, trying to instigate a fight. Boogie calm walked away and ignored Morris. Nonetheless, despite Morris, getting ejected, the matter resulted in Cousins receiving his first technical. And once Boogie gets one, it always seems to be a matter of time before that second tech, and resulting ejection sweeps in to dismantle the Rockets. And it happened again on Sunday night. Cousins got off to a great start and looked poised to be on the verge of having his breakout game as a Rocket. Boogie had 6 points and 4 boards in only 8 minutes, but a hard foul on LeBron James, the NBA’s crown jewel, sent Cousins to the locker room for the night. The foul happened to be above the shoulder area, and was deemed a flagrant foul, resulting in yet another early ejection for Boogie. the Rockets had cut the lead to two points, trailing only 25-23 after Tate’s impressive offensive move on LeBron. But that’s as close, or as impressive as Houston would look all night.

Once Cousins was ejected the Lakers had a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Rockets by 15 points, putting Houston in a 19-point hole at halftime. A hole in which James Harden and the Rockets never escape. Anthony Davis led L.A. with 27 points, and LeBron chipped in with 18, ensuring the Lakers never let this one get out of hand. Meanwhile, the Beard had 20 points and 9 assists for Houston. Harden’s been noticeably less-aggressive on offense since missing a game due to injury. The Rockets need the Harden who regularly scores over 30 if they want a chance against the Lakers in the rematch on Tuesday night. Sunday night was the third straight game Harden failed to score 30 points, a feat head-scratching only for a player with his lethal offensive prowess. For some rare good news, Christian Wood continues to excel in his first season in Houston. Battling the NBA’s best center head-to-head, Wood topped the 20-point mark once again, scoring 23 to lead the Rockets. Houston’s newest sensation, and frontrunner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player, has scored 20 or more points every game this season. The Rockets have to like the consistency they’re seeing out of Wood. Nonetheless, Houston’s squad as a whole, is a work in progress. John Wall had a poor shooting night, scoring only 14 points on 4-for-15 from the field. Wall did lead the Rockets with 10 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists, but Houston’s newest point guard has to finish at the rim. Wall can get to the basket at will. His issue, is finishing the play, whether making the layup or drawing a foul. It’s not a surprise, with the best defensive big-man in the NBA in Anthony Davis manning the paint for L.A., that Wall struggled to finish at the rack. The Rockets need Wall to be more efficient with the ball when these teams face-off again on Tuesday night.

The Lakers thrashing in Houston proved L.A.’s in a different league than the Rockets right now. It also once again showed how important Cousins could potentially be to Houston, if he can only stay in the game. DeMarcus was ejected in the Rockets last loss before Sunday, to Dallas on Wednesday. Just like Sunday, Houston was close until Cousins got ejected, and the Mavs ran away with the game. They didn’t dominate the Rockets like the Lakers did, but they showed how viable an option Cousins is for Houston when he’s available. Boogie already has a bad reputation with NBA refs, the best action Cousins can take is stay as calm as possible. And try to refrain from fouling above the shoulders, as difficult as that is for a big man. Cousins’ reputation is his biggest enemy at this point. He was calm when Morris tried to instigate a double-ejection. But, if Cousins is part of any conflict-inducing situations, he’s bound to get a tech, with the oft-called double-technical, used bye officials when two players begin to get heated. Boogie shouldn’t have received a technical the first time, but when you build a reputation, it sticks with you. These teams battle at the Toyota Center again on Tuesday night. If Houston has any chance of sticking with the Lakers in their rematch on they need DeMarcus to stay in the game. The Rockets can try and change his demeanor, but Cousins has actually behaved civilized since returning to play. Boogie’s tarnished reputation is just something Houston has to live with.