Month: February 2021

Rollin’ in Memphis:  Rockets Lose Wood to Injury Again, Tame Grizzlies, 115-103

Wooden History.    Unbreakable Wall.    4/11.    

Houston just can’t catch a break. The Rockets dominated the Grizzlies on Thursday night, 115-103, but the win didn’t come without a price. Christian Wood, having a breakout season for Houston, re-injured the same ankle that caused him to miss three games earlier in the season. This injury looked worse, and Wood’s expected to miss significant time, although no official word has leaked yet on when Houston’s star big man could possibly return. It’s unfortunate, as Wood was on his way to yet another double-double, garnering 17 points and 7 boards in only 20 minutes of action, before suffering the nasty sprain. Hopefully, the injury’s not as severe as it appeared to be in live action, as Wood is central to the Rockets success this season. Regardless, it’s a sight for sore eyes to see a long, lanky big-man already developing an injury history. Prayers up that this is the last of Wood’s misfortunes on the court. Without the leading candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player, Houston’s certainly lacking one of their most powerful weapons for the next few games. Luckily, this Rockets team is sneakily one of the deepest in the league.

John Wall returned after resting the previous night to out-duel Ja Morant, holding last year’s Rookie of the Year to only 15 points. Wall also led Houston’s balanced scoring attack, with 22 points, and dished out 8 dimes, as the Rockets improved to 6-0 when Wall plays after the James Harden trade, and 7-0 when Wall plays and Harden doesn’t, going back to before the exchange. Houston will only rely on Wall’s talents even more, as Wood’s absence will require everyone on the squad to step up during his recovery period. And Jae’Sean Tate had his best offensive game of his career, blasting off for a career-high 19 points while bringing the usual intensity and energy. Despite losing Wood for at least a few games, the Rockets star point guard proved on Thursday night he’s the leader this Houston squad needs, a much more mature, vocal guide than the Rockets’ previous “leader”, James Harden. As the Victor Oladipo and P.J. Tucker trade rumors continue to swirl, Houston can only hope the squad keeps winning, and can prove to their front office that no more swaps are needed.

And despite being 10th in the West standings, the Rockets are bunched up amidst a group of teams that are clustered within a couple games. Only two games separate the 4th and the 11th seed out West. Houston, in particular, is only a game behind fourth, while at the same time only one game away from the 11th seed. The Rockets are approaching a pivotal stretch where the next few contests should scramble up the parity in the standings, with Houston hoping to get scrambled near the top.  Up next, the Rockets take on the Spurs for the third time already this season. Houston went 1-1 in their Alamo miniseries earlier in the season. Hopefully, the third time’s the charm, and the Rockets can boost ahead of the Spurs in the standings, and for the time being… catch a little break.

Rockets Look to Bounce Back in Memphis in Second Game in as Many Nights

Role Swap.    Back in a Flash.    Come at Ja.

 

It’s hard to beat an NBA team back-to-back, as the Rockets have learned twice this season, their latest in Wednesday night’s blowout loss in OKC. Houston doesn’t have to wait long. It’s even harder to beat a better, talented team, on the second night of a back-to-back. The Grizzlies aren’t a powerhouse, but they have one of the best young point guards in basketball, Ja Morant. John Wall sat out yesterday so he can try and slow Ja down tonight, as they will likely be matched up with each other frequently on the court. Victor Oladipo will be resting tonight, as he played in Wall’s spot as the primary ball-handler in last night’s loss.

Despite the poor performance in their last game, the Rockets can get back on track with an impressive win. A road victory on the second night of a back-to-back is always a positive sign, regardless of the opponent, rather for building chemistry. It’s Houston’s third game in four nights, and the Rockets are bound to have tired legs. Wall rested yesterday, so he should have more energy, and hopefully put on an inspiring performance against one of the NBA’s best point guards. Eric Gordon’s led the scoring charge the last two games for Houston. The Rockets need EG to be splashing from deep if they want a chance to escape Memphis with a victory.

Memphis is 9-7, and had been hit by the coronavirus earlier in the season, hence the reason they’ve played 4 less games than Houston. The Grizzlies are coming off a blowout loss in Indiana, to an underrated Pacers team. Before that, Memphis won seven games in a row, which, at the time, was the NBA’s longest winning-streak. Expect a good matchup tonight. Hopefully tired legs don’t down the Rockets, and Wall can attack Ja, and maybe get Memphis’ MVP in foul trouble. Otherwise, Houston could be in trouble on Thursday night. Playing their third game in four nights, it won’t be easy in Memphis tonight, but these hard-nosed Rockets were built for difficult situations. And on a Thursday night in Memphis, anything can happen when these two hard-headed divisional rivals clash. If you thought last night’s game was difficult… expect tonight’s matchup to be much harder for Houston.

 

FedExForum:  Memphis, Tennessee

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-10):  Red

Memphis Grizzlies (9-7):  Black

 

TV:  8 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Thunder-Snapped:  OKC Repays the Favor, Snaps Houston’s Win Streak, Blowout Rockets, 104-87

Needing Johnny.    Oh No Dipo.    Singing the Blues.

As expected, the Rockets regressed to the mean after their record-shooting night on Monday, and without John Wall, had their six-game winning streak snapped in OKC. The Thunder won this one handily, 104-87, giving the Rockets a taste of their own medicine, with Houston never in reach, this game was uglier than the final score states. Houston trailed by 23 going into the final period, and without Wall to lead the way, and Oladipo, struggling (for other reasons I’ll touch on in a moment), the Rockets had no hopes without the shots not falling on Wednesday night.

The Rockets are now 8-4 when John Wall suits up, and only 2-6 when he doesn’t play. Houston needed thier most valuable Wall on Wednesday. Despite not having their best player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder won from start to finish. It just shows it really is difficult to beat the same team twice in a row, regardless of who’s on the court. The familiarity leads to adjustments, which leads to closer rematches, with often a different result. Houston’s split both their mini-series this season, 1-1, first in San Antonio, and now in OKC.

Eric Gordon, the only Rocket who played up to par, led the way for Houston with 22 points. Victor Oladipo only managed to score 19 on a night where the Rockets really could’ve used a performance similar to his Houston debut. And now, the trade rumors are swirling. After just one loss, Victor Oladipo and P.J. Tucker have been in trade talks recently, according to sources close with the team. I wish they would let this group gel. Despite the poor Wednesday night, the Rockets are still 7-4 since the trade, as opposed to 3-6 before. Allow this team time to get synchronized on the same level, and the Rockets can definitely contend in the West. But if they trade Victor Oladipo, and P.J. Tucker, they have no chance. Maybe if they trade Oladipo and get a valuable player in return. But if you trade the heart and soul of the Rockets, especially their defense, the side they struggle most with… you’re basically tanking.

There’s no time to sing the blues, as Houston gets right back in action on Thursday night in Memphis, facing off against the Grizzlies. Memphis is led by stud sophomore Ja Morant, off to his best season, proving he’ll be one of the best point guards in the league for years to come. The Rockets have to tune out the trade drama whirling around the squad once again. John Wall returns on Thursday, and hopefully he can steer the Rockets to an impressive road victory in Memphis on the second night of a back-to-back… I’m expecting it.

Rockets Seeking Deja Vu in Their Rematch with Thunder

Seventh Heaven.    The Mike Jones All-Stars.    Next Man Up.

“When I step between those lines, I want you to be able to go to war with me, and fight for me,” John Wall said on the importance of Houston’s team-bonding dinners and why speaking your mind to teammates is so important. These intimate dining sessions take place more often on the road, as everyone is usually together, instead of in their own homesteads. And tonight, the Rockets didn’t travel, but they’re still on the road, just in the same spot as last time… OKC, where the Thunder almost had to call the National Weather Service after the Rockets’ record-setting 28 threes blasted OKC’s chances out of Chesapeake Bay Arena. Houston will attempt to repeat their electric Monday-night performance tonight, as the Rockets, owners of the league’s longest winning streak, shoot for their seventh straight win. But it won’t be as easy this time.

Tonight is the first of a back-to-back for Houston, as the squad travels to Memphis to face the Grizzlies tomorrow. Therefore, for precautionary matters, John Wall will sit out tonight’s game and rest in preparation for Thursday. Expect Victor Oladipo, who will be resting tomorrow, to have a big game, and Christian Wood to put up what he’s been posting: All-Star numbers on a nightly-basis. Guys like Ben McLemore, Mason Jones, and really everyone will see extended minutes without Wall, and David Nwaba still out with an injury. But unlike Rockets teams of the past seasons, this squad is built for that “next-man-up” mentality. This is a team full of guys, who back in the past, weren’t really wanted in their previous destinations. A group of players motivated with a collective chip on their shoulder. Watching these Rockets play is like listening to “Back Then,” by Houston’s own Mike Jones, on repeat. This squad is playing with that “Mike Jones” attitude: “back then they didn’t want me, now I’m hot, they all on me.” Minus their floor leader tonight, and an expected regression to the mean (the Rockets won’t hit 28 threes again tonight), tonight will be a tougher test than Monday’s blowout by Houston.

Despite not having John Wall, the Rockets are still more talented than this Thunder team. And while they may not win by 30, they should win tonight if they play with their usual hungry Houston intensity. The squad probably won’t set another franchise-record for threes tonight, so expect more drives to the basket, and more of a gritty, grind-out, lower scoring game than Monday’s first affair between these two West foes. The Rockets are still in the midst of climbing their way back up the standings in the Western Conference. There’s no time to celebrate, regardless if they’re riding the NBA’s longest winning-streak, Houston needs to keep beating the bad teams, as their schedule will only toughen in the future. With another game tomorrow night, the Rockets would love to see Deja Vu, and silence the Thunder early like they did on Monday. John Wall’s absence will hurt the Rockets, but Houston should have enough spirit in them to fight for him on the court. If Wall could, he would do just the same.

 

Chesapeake Bay Arena:  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (10-9):  White

Oklahoma City Thunder (8-11):  Black

 

TV:  7 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Record Rainfall:  Houston’s Long-Range Storm Drenches OKC, as Rockets Dominate Thunder, 136-106, for Sixth Straight Win

First Quarter “Whoas.”    Deep Barrage.    Wall-Star.

“Whatever I’ve lost you’ve found,” Sly Stallone tells Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010’s The Expendables, when asked about his weight loss. Outsiders looking in may think Houston lost a lot of “weight” when the team shipped James Harden to Brooklyn. And the Rockets did, but what they’ve found outweighs anything they lost in the past. I’ve never seen a Rockets team have so much fun on the floor. And like the expendables in the film, these guys are having a blast, all bringing something to the table, playing their heart out with a chip on their shoulder… blasting opponents out of arenas in the process. Oklahoma City was Houston’s latest victim, as the Rockets used a barrage of threes (a franchise record 28) to blow past the Thunder on Monday night, 136-106. Unlike their previous games, which saw Houston staring at early double-digit deficits, the Rockets pounced on the Thunder right after the opening tip and never looked back. Houston put this game away in the first quarter. Those first quarter woes turned into first quarter “whoas” on Monday night, as the Rockets connected on 11 of their 14 attempts from distance, an insanely accurate percentage. Houston doubled OKC’s output, leading 48-24 after one quarter. It’s the Rockets second 48-point quarter in as many games, as the squad was firing on all cylinders on Monday night.

OKC simply had no answer for a talented, deeper Houston team. The Rockets had 7 players score in double figures, with Eric Gordon leading the charge off the bench with 25 points. DeMarcus Cousins quietly scored 17 points and 8 boards. Victor Oladipo chipped in 15, and John Wall and Christian Wood each had 18, as the Rockets overpowered a lottery-bound Thunder team on Monday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 19 points, but simply didn’t have enough help to get anything going for the home team. Houston will try and repeat their Monday night explosion on Wednesday night, as these two teams face-off in the same place, at the same time.

By now, everyone’s heard of Houston’s WOW (Wall, Oladipo, Wood) Factor. And the three have led the Rockets on this current six-game winning streak. But the leader of this team, is unquestionably John Wall. He’s the leader in the locker room. Houston is 8-4 when Wall plays, and only 2-5 when he doesn’t. Wall may not put up the most points each night, but these Rockets are going as far their “Wall-Star” will take them. After missing two seasons, and several games after an injury, Wall has looked very impressive. After struggling from distance to start the season, Wall’s three-point shot has improved over the last few games. He’s starting to find his rhythm again, and if Wall can stay healthy for the long run, these Rockets are going to be dark horses of an unprecedented kind. They may have lost James Harden, and all the headlines that came with the NBA’s most-famous beard. But the Rockets realize this newfound chemistry they’ve found is better than anything the Beard brought to Houston. There’s no “I” in team. And this team has found each other. Something the Rockets could never do with James Harden. It only took losing the Beard for Houston to realize what they always needed to find, and never could until they could lose Harden: chemistry.

   

Rockets Roll into OKC, Aiming for Sixth Straight Win

Fresh Start.    Second Gear.    Mini-Series.

We’re all used to the sound of thunder, even though we can’t visibly see it coming, we can hear the impact it has on the world around us. On Monday night, the Houston Rockets, a team no one saw winning five straight after the James Harden trade, begins the first of two games against the Thunder in Oklahoma City. These two squads were supposed to square off on Opening Night, but coronavirus intervened, and that game was postponed to a later date. So, this is the first time these teams will meet this season.

The Rockets are on a roll, winners of five in a row, Houston’s found a new positive energy that’s become ingrained in the team’s chemistry. This team’s having so much fun right now. Everyone is playing to win, and there’s certainly a sense of relief Harden and his drama is finally gone. With their latest victory, Houston pushed themselves back even towards .500, and are in the thick of a crowded Western Conference standings. A mere 3 games separate the 5th and 14th seeds out West. OKC sits only a game behind the Rockets at 8-10. There’s no reason the WOW factor shouldn’t be able to push Houston pass a less-talented Thunder team. Other than Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, an All-Star in the making, and Al Horford, OKC poses no real threats, and the Rockets Big Three should be able to silence any thunderous attempts Oklahoma aims at Houston. The Rockets will be without David N’waba tonight, who unfortunately suffered an injury in Houston’s previous game.

Tonight is the first of a back-to-back between these two, another one of the NBA’s many mini-series during this shortened coronavirus-impacted 72-game season. It’s also officially the beginning of the second quarter of the season for Houston. The squad is 18 games into the 72-game campaign. It’s going to take a lot more winning for the Rockets to get national attention, but that’s no problem. This team loves flying under the radar. And, like the Grizzlies six-game winning streak you probably didn’t know about, it may surprise you that these Rockets are on such a roll. But you’ve been warned now. Unlike Memphis’ winning ways, Houston is only going to get better. So get ready Oklahoma City. A storm’s headed your way. Just like your thunder, you might not hear their approach… no one saw these Rockets coming.

 

Chesapeake Energy Arena:  Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (9-9):  Red

Oklahoma City Thunder (8-10):  White

 

TV:  7 PM CT  –  AT&T Sportsnet SW

Rockets Pluck Pelicans, 126-112, Extend Winning Streak to Five

Second Quarter Swing.    “Big Easy” Vibe.    Recognizing Greatness.

“I definitely wanted to show them what they missed out on,” Christian Wood said after the Rockets beat the team that cut Wood in 2019, the New Orleans Pelicans, 126-112. And Wood had plenty to display on Saturday night, as his 27 points fueled a dominant Rockets victory over an upstart Pelicans team. Houston trailed yet again early in this contest, staring an 11-point deficit in the face in the first quarter. New Orleans started hot from beyond the arc, nailing 6 of their first 11 threes, but after that, the Pelicans missed 22 of their next 24 shots from three. And, the Rockets happened to have one of their best quarters in franchise history in the second period. Houston shot 9 for 12 from long range, and outscored New Orleans 48 to 22, en route a 29-point first half swing, turning an 11-point Houston hole into an 18-point halftime cushion. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 26 points, but the Rockets were never in danger of surrendering their lead at the break. 

Victor Oladipo scored 20, and Wall added 15, as the Rockets are really starting to build chemistry and gel with their new teammates. The oldest tenured Rocket, Eric Gordon, said “this has been fun!!!” after the game. Someone who has his own Fun Meter, familiar to die-hard Rocket fans. And when EG’s Fun Meter’s turned up, that’s a great for Houston, and dangerous for the rest of the league. After the squad extended their winning streak, Splash Gordon said this team is starting to have the same vibe as the 65-win Rocket team that almost took down the Warriors dynasty three years ago. It’s a “Big-Easy”, fun, celebrating mood in the locker room. This Houston team truly loves playing together. The win in the Big Easy extends the Rockets’ winning streak to five games, and there’s definitely a sense of culture change in Houston. All the remnants, debris, and memories of the James Harden trade are gone. The WOW Factor is now officially a “thing” across the league. And you’ll only be hearing more as the season goes along.

One can argue, either Wood, Wall, or Oladipo as being the Rockets best player, as they’re all keys to their success. But Houston’s vocal leader, and in the locker room, is John Wall. Wall continues to throw shade at James Harden after the Rockets latest victory, along with the Nets collapse to the Russell Westbrook and the Wizards on Sunday night, gives Houston and Brooklyn the same amount of losses. Wall said, “as you can see we had 32 assists tonight. That’s the team we wanna be. A team that scores a lot off assists, not one-on-one basketball.” Harden’s Rockets were the definition of one-on-one basketball, and Houston isolated more than any team in the league with Harden. Now, the Rockets can play as a team, and the results, despite losing a superstar-player, have been tremendously on the upswing for Houston. Since the trade, the Rockets have the best defensive rating in basketball, while the Nets have the worst. Not to mention the squad was 3-6 when Harden was still on the roster, and are 6-3 since he departed for Brooklyn. Wall’s leadership since he arrived in Houston has been noteworthy. Expect him to take subtle jabs at Harden throughout the season, as these Rockets are simply much better than anyone realizes. Except for John Wall and company.

And Wall also is well aware how important P.J. Tucker is to this Rockets team. Tucker’s name has been in the trade rumors all season, and fans have complained about his shooting and lack of offense. But Houston knows they can’t contend for a title without P.J. Houston’s vocal leader, John Wall, brought up the importance of P.J. Tucker after the game. And his teammates followed suit. On P.J., Oladipo had high praise, “P.J. Tucker is a rarity… we’re gonna need him if we’re gonna win at a high level.” EG said, “no question, everybody needs a P.J. Tucker on every team. We’re lucky to have him.” Speaking of luck, Houston’s fortunate to realize they snagged the free-agent of the off-season, in Christian Wood, who’s slowly developing into an All-Star. Wood’s another Rocket with a chip on his shoulder, who wanted to show New Orleans, the team who passed on him in 2019, what they’re missing. And on Saturday night… he gave them front row seats to the show.