Author: admin

Rockets Host Hawks in First of Two Straight Home Games

Back to Work.    Missing Pieces.    Part 1.

After having a rare four days off, the Rockets are back in action Friday night, as they host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Houston will look to capitalize on the rest, and see if they can upset a likely playoff-bound Hawks team. Atlanta holds the fourth spot currently in the Eastern Conference standings, but they’re an average 4-4 in their last 8 games. The Rockets have more than enough firepower to upset Trae Young, former-Rocket Clint Capela, and the rest of the Hawks if they can stay disciplined on the defensive end, and control the basketball. This is the third game in Houston’s four-game home-stand, which ends tomorrow night when the Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Houston will unfortunately be without two key pieces in tonight’s matchup with Atlanta. Starting center Alperen Sengun, and veteran Eric Gordon will both miss Friday’s tilt due to injuries. The Rockets will need everyone else on the roster to step up, as everyone will likely receive more minutes as a result of the injuries. Bruno Fernando is expected to make his return, and start at center tonight for Houston. The Rockets will need rookies Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason to replicate their performances they put on against Golden State on Sunday night. Both players set career-highs in scoring, and rebounded the ball well. Houston needs a similar effort if the Rockets want to beat the Hawks without Sengun and EG.

This is the first of two straight home games, another rarity in the schedule, as the Rockets will host the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night. Houston’s had four days off and plenty of time to rest, so hopefully they can endure this upcoming double-header. It’s at home, so no travel will be involved, which will help the Rockets case. Houston really needs to win one of these next two games, for pride purposes, if not for anything else. Every team in the NBA has at least 5 wins except, the Houston Rockets. At 3-14, the Rockets are are distancing themselves with the worst record in the league. They’ll be in the Victor Wembanyama stakes regardless, as it appears Houston will likely finish with one of the worst records, if not the worst in the entire league. After being granted the rare in-season mini-vacation, it’s time to for the Rockets to get a rare win by beating Trae Young and the Hawks to start this weekend back-to-back.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Atlanta Hawks (11-7):  Black

Houston Rockets (3-14):  “Hardwood Classics” White

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall to Warriors, 127-120, Remain Winless on Home-Stand

Too Much Klay.    Career Nights.    Fall Break.

The Rockets tried to run with the Warriors, but after a valiant effort, they ultimately fell short, 127-120, on Sunday night. After a frenetic first half that saw Houston trail by as many as 18 points, and then comeback to grab a 9-point lead, the second half saw these teams trade blows. In the end, Golden State had too much firepower for the Rockets to withstand. Klay Thompson got the party started for the Warriors, scoring 20 of his 41 points in the first quarter. Klay had been struggling to start the year, but he made this visit to Houston his breakout game of the season. Thompson nailed 10 of his 13 attempts from three, and shot 14-for-23 overall from the floor. Stephen Curry started out in distribution mode, but finished the matchup with 31 points and 15 assists, as he had some key shots late to put the Rockets dreams of victory to sleep.

Kevin Porter Jr. led Houston with 30 points, but it was the rookies who had career nights for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason both set career-highs in scoring in what was their best games so far of their young NBA careers. Jabari ended the night with 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting, and grabbed 7 rebounds. Eason registered 19 points and had 8 boards on the evening, as Houston’s newcomers showed fans a taste of what’s to come in the future. Jalen Green once again struggled with his jumper. Green went only 1-for-8 beyond the arc, scoring below-average 16 points in the game. And KJ Martin continues to quietly play well off the bench, recording another double-digit scoring game with 12 points on the evening. Ultimately, Curry and Thompson were too much to overcome for the Rockets. The Splash Brothers combined for 74 points, and help came in the form of Andrew Wiggins, who scored 22 points in the contest.

Houston now has a rare mini-break as we head into Thanksgiving week. The Rockets have the next four days off, but they’ll want to avoid falling behind their usual routines to maintain game-shape. Their next matchup isn’t until Black Friday, when they’ll host the Atlanta Hawks in the first of two straight games at Toyota Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder come to town on Saturday night to finish the back-to-back. Houston needs to get plenty of rest over these next few days and be prepared for tough matchups over the weekend. Trae Young and the Hawks are likely playoff bound once again, and the Thunder have arguable the Most-Improved Player who’s putting up MVP-caliber numbers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA has been playing out of his mind. So rest up Rockets… as next weekend the squad will need fresh legs to run with these incoming superstars.

Rockets Seeking Second Home Win, Host Warriors

Championship Hangover.    Needing Scoot and Sengun.    Nothing to Lose.

Houston plays host to the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Sunday night. The Rockets are coming off a collapse Friday night at the hands of the Pacers to begin this current four-game home-stand. Steph Curry and co. are off to a slow start to the season, even still searching for their first road win. The Warriors are 7-9 on the year, including 0-8 on the road. Houston will look to extend that streak to nine with a victory over the Dubs tonight. The bad news is, Golden State is starting to heat up. After a five-game losing streak, the Warriors have won three of their last five games, but still have yet to get that elusive first road victory. Golden State will be entering Toyota Center confident, and hungry, for their first win away from the bay all season. If the Rockets aren’t focused and locked in from the opening tip, Houston could be in trouble tonight.

More bad news comes in the form of Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun’s status for the game, they’re both listed as questionable for Sunday’s battle. Sengun was a late-addition to the injury report with groin soreness, while KPJ missed Houston’s loss on Friday night. Scoot’s absence was sorely felt, and if Porter Jr. can’t suit up on Sunday, the Rockets are in big trouble against a back-court dominant Warriors team. Besides Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, Houston will have to contain the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, along with the usual pesky Draymond Green, who always seems to have a big game against the Rockets. Hopefully that’s not the case tonight for a Houston team desperately seeking its second home win of the season.

Regardless of who ends up suiting up for the Rockets, the squad has to leave it all on the floor tonight against the Dubs. After tonight’s tilt, Houston has the next four days off, which is something very rare in the schedule. Besides, the All-Star break, the squad’s largest break last season was three days off. Two off days in a row is rare, three is hardly seen, and four seemed non-existent, but it’s hear on the schedule after this matchup. The Rockets needs to play with the physicality we witnessed in Dallas that led to 19 blocked shots for the Rockets, and an impressive victory, if they want the same result tonight against a Golden State team who’s desperate to notch their first road win of the year. Houston has to literally play with blood, sweat, and tears… leave everything out there on the hardwood tonight, as they have plenty of time to rest their wounds after this battle. The Rockets need to play under control, but with nothing to lose. Four days of rest await the squad after Sunday’s tilt. Houston’s next game after tonight is back at Toyota Center on Friday to host Trae Young and the Hawks.

The Rockets have to hope Sengun and Scoot suit up tonight, but even if they don’t, Houston has a plethora of guys they can call on to step up and provide useful, effective minutes. The question is, are they up for the task? If the Rockets don’t play with a sense-of-urgency from the opening tip, they’re in trouble tonight. Expect a close game Houston can win if the Rockets are locked-in and ready to play with desperation. If Houston’s more focused on their upcoming four-day mini-break, and Golden State’s current 0-8 road record… expect the defending champs to do what they did frequently during their title run last year, and deal another opponent a home loss. Hopefully the Rockets are ready to go, and determined to continue the Warriors’ road woes tonight.

 

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Golden State Warriors (7-9):  Blue

Houston Rockets (3-13):  “Hardwood Classics” White

 

Tip-Off:  6:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall Apart in Ugly 99-91 Loss to Pacers

Home-Stopped.    A Tale of Two Halves.    Missing Scoot.

The Rockets home-stand got off to a brilliant start in the beginning of their matchup with the Pacers. Indiana scored the first bucket of the game, but afterwards Houston outscored the Pacers 25-4, and ended up with a 25-10 lead after the first quarter. That lead would extend to as many as 20 points in the second period, before Indiana slowly began to chip away. Their head coach, Rick Carlisle, got ejected in the second period, which sparked the Pacers run, and the game was only a five-point favor in Houston’s way, 50-45, heading into halftime. Unfortunately, the Rockets couldn’t hang on, and the Pacers stormed back to lead by as many as ten points, eventually dealing Houston a 99-91 defeat. It appeared like the Rockets got a little too comfortable with that 20-point edge, and once the Pacers became more locked into the game, Houston had a steamroller headed their way.

As great as the Rockets were defensively, this was the second straight opponent Houston has held under 100 points, the Rockets offense seemed to stop. They managed only 41 points in the second half, good for only 91 in the game. Houston shot only 34% from the field, including a dismal 21% from three-point range. Alperen Sengun had 5 of the team’s near-record 19 blocks in the squad’s previous matchup, the win in Dallas. Against Indiana, the Rockets only garnered 4 blocks as an entire team for the night. Tyrese Haliburton led the way for the Pacers with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. After a slow start, Myles Turner got hot late for Indiana, and punished Houston with 17 points and 7 boards. Four more players scored in double figures for the Pacers, who withstood a terrible 3-for-15 shooting night from Buddy Hield, usually one of the league’s best sharpshooters.

Eric Gordon had his best game of the season, leading the Rockets with 24 points to go along with 6 boards and 3 dimes. Jalen Green had another awful shooting night from then floor, going 2-for-10 from the field. However, he was much better from the charity stripe, tying a career-high with 12 free throws made (out of 15 attempted). Green finished the night with 16 points, 5 boards, and 5 assists. He continues to improve his rebounding and distributing, but Green’s shot has been inconsistent overall as we near the quarter mark of this season. He started off hot, and then seemed to cool off, Green’s too good of a player to be a streaky shooter. Look for his shot to improve as the season moves along. Jabari Smith Jr. contributed 12 points and 8 rebounds, but also continues to struggle shooting the basketball. Jabari went 4-for-14 from the field, including 2-for-8 beyond the arc. The Rockets need their young guys to be more efficient taking that many attempts if they want to avoid future collapses comparable to this game against the Pacers.

Houston really missed Kevin Porter Jr. tonight, who missed the contest with an injury. Scoot creates more space for Jalen Green and the rest of his teammates, and is off to a nice start to the season. KPJ’s injury doesn’t appear to be anything serious, but the Rockets need him back as soon as possible. They are a dysfunctional team offensively without Scoot running the show. If Porter Jr. played Friday night, Houston likely avoids blowing a 20-point lead. He’s one of the most important players on this squad, and his absence proved it in the loss to the Pacers. Up next, the Golden State Warriors come to town. The defending-champs are off to a slow start to the season. Their record stands at 7-9, and they’re still winless on the road, at 0-8. It would be brilliant if the Rockets could push Golden State’s road losing streak to nine on Sunday night… and finally get their second home-win of the season in part-two of this current home-stand.

Rockets Host Pacers, Honor The Big E, to Start Lengthy Home-Stand

Classic Roots.    Benna-Sleeper.    Twogether.     

Coming off their third win of the season, the Rockets return home to host the Indiana Pacers on their first “Hardwood Classics” night of the season. Houston will be donning new uni’s tonight. The squad will be repping jerseys that go back all the way to the San Diego days, the franchise’s birthplace. The Rockets played in San Diego from 1967, before moving to Houston in 1971. One of the greatest players in franchise history, Elvin Hayes, played during the San Diego days and was an influential part of the team’s move to Houston. Hayes will have his jersey retired tonight at Toyota Center during halftime, as the squad finally honors the legendary player in proper fashion.

Speaking of fashion, the Rockets will be sporting a different look on a retro-style court tonight. The jerseys are white with a hint of green and yellow, a nod back to the team’s originating San Diego roots. Personally, I think the jerseys are a nice change of look from the usual red, white, or, black (and sometimes blue). Will they affect the Houston’s performance on the court? Probably not, but the Rockets return home with momentum after winning on the road in Dallas in their previous game. The Pacers are hot themselves. Indiana is 7-6, but the Pacers have won four of their last five contests, including their last couple games. They’ve got one of the hottest rookies not named Banchero in Bennedict Mathurin. The fourth overall pick in last year’s draft raised some eyebrows for being picked so high near the top, but his play has lived up to the level he was chosen. Mathurin is a averaging almost 20 points per game, and if it weren’t for the first overall pick in Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Mathurn would be the front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Houston needs to keep their eyes on Mathurin defensively if they want to finally win two games in a row.

It’s been a long time since the Rockets won consecutive games. Can the squad  finally do it on The Big E’s night? They’ve got a great opportunity. Indy’s hot, but they’re not an overly dominant team. If Houston rides their recent momentum, and plays with the same physicality that led to their win in Dallas, the Rockets should be able to make it two in a row tonight. Regardless, it should be an entertaining night, as Houston honors Elvin Hayes, and the Rockets rock their classic look for the first time all season… all while searching for that elusive second straight win to start this home-stand.

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Indiana Pacers (7-6):  Yellow

Houston Rockets (3-12):  “ Hardwood Classics” White

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Block Party:  Rockets Swarm Mavs, 101-92, for Season’s Third Win

Seventh Heaven.    Game of Runs.    Efficient Goonies.

No Luka Doncic, no problem for the Houston Rockets. Jalen Green and company rolled into Dallas, and swatted the Mavericks out of their own building. Houston put on a dominant performance, blocking 19 shots, one shy of the franchise-record, en route to a 101-92 win in Dallas on Wednesday night. The Rockets had seven players score in double figures, led by Green and Kevin Porter Jr.’s 17 points apiece. The win also gave Houston their second road win of the year, and snapped Dallas’ home winning streak at six games. It was truly Seventh Heaven for these Rockets in North Texas.

Houston played with more physicality, bruising and bullying the Mavericks, on their way to an almost record-breaking 19 blocked shots. And this was arguably the most balanced performance of the season by the Rockets. Seven guys notched double-digits in scoring. And like most players do, everyone missed a shot for Houston… except for Usman Garuba, who had the game of his life. Garuba single-handedly dominated the second half of the second period. Garuba went 5-5 from the floor, and scored a career-high 12 points, including draining two shots from deep. Uzi also grabbed 9 boards and had 3 blocks on the night. Garuba fueled the Rockets’ key run to close the half. In fact, this was a game of runs. After Houston got off to an early lead, Dallas stormed back with an 11-0 run of their own. The Rockets countered with a strong close to the period, scoring the half’s final 15 points to regain control. The Mavs would go on another 11-0 to get back in the game in the third, but Houston managed to keep Dallas at bay with a balanced defensive showing by the squad. The Rockets only gave up 18 points in the fourth quarter, and this is the kind of defense Houston needs to carry with them as they return home for a stretch of games at Toyota Center.

Usman Garuba’s Goon Squad (KJ Martin, Usman Garuba, Tari Eason) had an extremely efficient night as they continue to provide an extra boost off the bench for the Rockets. The trio finished with 20 points on 12-for-15 shooting, and grabbed 17 rebounds. If the Goon Squad can continue to contribute in this manner off the bench, Houston has a chance to win a few games at home during this upcoming stretch. Up next, the Rockets begin their homestand by welcoming the Indiana Pacers to town. It should be a very winnable game for the squad. The Pacers are merely an average team, and Houston should be hungry to get their second home win of the season… no problem.

Rockets Swing into Dallas for Matchup with Mavericks

Brothers Reunited.    Luka Gon-Sit.    One for the Road.

“He’s my brother, I learned a lot from him,” Alperen Sengun said when asked about his thoughts matching up against his former teammate, Christian Wood, who Houston sent to Dallas this summer for a package of draft picks. The Rockets meet Wood for the first time since dealing him as these Texas rivals square off for a Wednesday night matchup. Wood has met expectations, if not exceeded them, so far this season with the Mavs. He’s played well alongside Dallas’ superstar sensation, Luka Doncic. Luckily for the Rockets, Luka will be resting tonight for the 8-5 Mavericks. Houston’s desperate for a win, as they slump into the Big D, having lost nine of the last ten games. It’s been a rough start to the season for the Rockets, but they have a chance to get their best win of the season tonight.

The Mavericks are 8-5, off to a somewhat underwhelming start after many had picked them to finish among the top 3 spots out West this season. Luka is off to an MVP-caliber start, although we won’t get to witness his bag of tricks tonight, the Rockets will likely face Cool Hands Luka later on this season. For tonight’s contest, Houston has to ignore the recent news that Doncic won’t be playing tonight. The Mavs have a talented team around Doncic, and several Rocket-killers (Tim Hardaway, Jr.). Expect Hardaway, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Christian Wood to deal out the majority of the damage for Dallas. If Houston comes into American Airlines Center with the comfortable mindset knowing they won’t have to deal with Luka Doncic tonight, the Rockets will find themselves in trouble.

Hopefully the squad ignores the news. Or finally puts it together for four quarters for a win. Houston is desperate. They have the worst record in the league, being the only team in the NBA yet to record three wins on the season. This is the lone road game during this long stretch of home games for the Rockets, and the squad doesn’t even have to leave the state, heading a few hours Northwest to Dallas. Expect Jalen Green, with Doncic sitting out, to potentially have an explosive night offensively. This is one of those games where anything could happen, except from what we’ve witnessed so far this season, don’t expect the Rockets to blow anyone out of building. They could easily get blown out. Houston could also easily steal one in Dallas if they take advantage of the Luka-less Mavs. Dallas is coming off a close win last night over the Clippers, who the Rockets are all-too-familiar with 14 games into the season. Houston has the rest advantage having yesterday off, can their young legs energize enough efficient play to keep the Mavs at bay? We’ll find out soon enough. It should be fun to watch tonight’s key interior matchup: two former big brothers in Aleperen Sengun and Christian Wood battling in the post. For tonight… we’ll find out just how much Sengun learned after all.

American Airlines Center: Dallas, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (2-12):  White

Dallas Mavericks (8-5):  Blue

 

Tip-Off:  7:30 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Rockets Fall to 0-3 Against Clippers in 122-106 Defeat

No Charm.    Too Much George.    Rough Waters.

Houston returned home after their long road stretch, but the friendly confines of Toyota Center provided no less comfort, as the Rockets lost to the Clippers for the third time this season, 122-106, on Monday night. Paul George once again led a balanced Clippers’ attack with 22 points. Jalen Green led the way for Houston with 25 points, knocking down 10 of his 19 attempts from the field.  Kevin Porter Jr. scored 20 points, and led the team with 7 rebounds. And Alperen Sengun chipped in 16 points and 4 boards in a contest that went the Clippers’ way the entire night.

The Rockets are now 0-3 against the Clippers, as we’re 14 games into this campaign, nearing the first quarter mark of the season. Too much Paul George kept Houston at bay, but the Rockets should be able to win these types of tilts with improved chemistry and locker room dynamics. How long will that take? Only time will tell. For now, Houston continues to sail in rough waters to start this season with the league’s worst record at 2-12.

Up next, the Rockets head back on the road, but not far, and only for one game on Wednesday night in Dallas. Afterwards, the squad will return home for a set of four consecutive home games. Hopefully Houston can squeeze a win or two out of this upcoming five-game slate. They’ll have some comfort knowing that Luka Doncic, one of the front-runners for MVP, will be resting Wednesday night as the Rockets battle the Mavericks. They’ve got a chance… time to stretch as the squad hits the road again.

Rockets Return Home After Road Stretch, Meet Clippers for Third Time This Season

Homecoming.    Pause George.    Ball Security.

The Houston Rockets return home to Toyota Center for what seems like the first time in a month tonight. The squad endured a rough, road-heavy start to the season, but now looks to turn things around with a win as they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. These two foes have already met twice this season, with the Clips winning both games. In fact the last time Houston played a game at Toyota Center, it was against these same Clippers, in an ugly loss. The Rockets will try and make the third time the charm as they play the Clips for the final time at Toyota Center this season to begin a home-heavy stretch. Five of Houston’s next six games are at home. The Clippers are coming off a 15-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets, but L.A. has won five of their last seven games overall, including two victories over the Rockets. Beginning tonight, Houston has a great chance to improve their record and put some more wins on the board, as they try and climb out of the hole they dug themselves that is the NBA’s worst record.

The main reason the Rockets are 0-2 against the Clippers this season is Paul George. L.A.’s superstar hit the go-ahead shot in the first meeting between these squads, and led them in scoring both times. If Houston wants any chance to get their third win of the season, they need to contain Paul George. The Rockets need to find a way to ensure PG13 doesn’t explode for a 30 or 40-point night. Houston fans have seen enough of Paul George already this season, it’s time to witness a little “Pause George.” It’s not impossible for these Rockets, the Goon Squad (KJ Martin, Usman Garuba, and Tari Eason) has been reliably efficient in limited minutes recently, but they’ll need help from teammates if they want to stop one of the best players the league has to offer tonight. Houston will see ex-Rocket John Wall for the first time on court against his former team. Wall isn’t putting up the All-Star numbers he displayed earlier in his career but he’s quietly having an efficient season off the bench for the Clips. The Rockets also needs to focus on Marcus Morris Sr., who seem to score over 20 points every time he faces Houston. If Stephen Silas can architect the right rotations, the Rockets have a decent chance to upset the Clippers, and grab their third win of the season tonight.

As was the case last season, Houston’s achilles’ heal this year has been turning the ball over. The Rockets almost always turn the ball over more than their opponent, and these often lead to easy, almost seemingly free points, for the other team. Houston has to take better care of the basketball, or they could be in for another long night against a pesky Clippers team. L.A. will feast on turnovers if the Rockets give away costly points in transition, which has been Houston’s biggest weakness to start the season. Maybe a return home the friendly confines of Toyota Center and Rocket fans will allow Houston to play at a more efficient pace… which might be all they need to earn their first win over these Clippers.

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Los Angeles Clippers (7-6):  Black

Houston Rockets (2-11):  Red

 

Tip-Off:  7:00 PM CT

TV:  AT&T Sportsnet SW,  NBA League Pass

Bayou Blues:  Rockets’ Rally, but Collapse Late in 117-106 Loss to Pelicans

Baker’s Dozen.    Different Players.    Goon Squad.

The Rockets trailed by as many as 18 points on Saturday night in the Big Easy. And while it may have appeared Houston’s chances of winning were getting easier as the game went along, a Jalen Green-led rally ultimately came up short. The Rockets even regained the lead, but couldn’t secure the edge, falling to the Pelicans, 117-106, on Saturday night. Green led Houston with 33 points on a stellar 11-for-20 shooting performance. His backcourt mate, Kevin Porter Jr. chipped in, adding 23 points and 3 assists on the night. However, The Rockets’ starting backcourt were responsible for half of the squad’s 24 turnovers. As talented as Green and Scoot are, they need to improve their ability to control the ball. Houston’s turning the ball over more than it’s opposition almost every game, and it’s killing the Rockets. Most of these are costly turnovers, which basically lead to free points for the other team. It’s hard to win when you’re making it easier for your opponent to score more points.

Jabari Smith Jr. had a better game in the Big Easy. Houston’s prized rookie grabbed a whopping 15 rebounds on the night, and scored 9 points as well. He continues to struggle with his shot, but Jabari’s shooting will improve over time, as he’s still young and only 12 games into his professional career. Smith Jr. had two very impressive blocks in this game, and a few that were called foul that looked like clean blocks. Along with Jalen Green, they’re beginning to look like different players as they evolve into (hopefully) superstar level stature in the NBA. Green is obviously much further on his journey compared to Smith Jr., but they’ve both made strides over these past few games.

Meet the Houston Rockets’ Goon Squad: KJ Martin, Tari Eason, and Usman Garuba. Named by Houston’s current legendary play-by-play announcer, Craig Ackerman, the trio have quietly done the “dirty work” in the sparse minutes they’ve received this season. The numbers aren’t flashy, but KJ is one of the best high-flying shot blockers in this league, and Garuba has shown flashes this season of his defensive prowess. Tari Eason’s activity level has been Jae’Sean Tate-like, as the rookie continues to fight for minutes on a young, talented roster. Tate, by the way, is still out with an injury. So this gives the Goon Squad and other Rockets more chances to show coach Stephen Silas their value.

Houston is now 13 games into the season, a baker’s dozen. And while they do have the worst record in league, at 2-11, it’s not as bad as it appears. This is still a young team trying to mesh and find their chemistry on the court. The hard part so far has been the early schedule the NBA’s dealt the Rockets. Houston’s had the toughest start of any team in the league. Of the 13 games, only two have been against team’s currently with losing records, and 10 of them have been road on the road. The good news is, the Rockets finally return to Houston where they’ll play 4 of their next 5 games at home… hopefully that’ll make winning a little more easier than in the Big Easy.