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Rockets Set to Ignite as Pistons Rev Into H-Town

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, not far removed from being Clippers’ teammates, meet on the court for the first time this season. Since departing L.A., there’s always been tension when these two stars are on the same court, even though one or the other often happens to be injured when their teams stand to face off. Tonight, both players will be in full gear, leading teams that are both on the upside. The Pistons have won 2 straight, including an impressive win in Toronto over the Raptors, the team currently with the league’s best record. The Rockets have won 4 straight games themselves. The difference between these teams’ “upside” is the state of their seasons and respective ceiling for potential. Detroit is going to motor along, they have a great shot a making the playoffs in the weaker, Eastern Conference, although their best-case scenario is a first round playoff exit. Worst case they don’t make the playoffs. Houston on the other hand, looks ready to blast up the crowded bloodbath that is the 2018/2019 Western Conference, and re-stake their claim as Championship contenders and the biggest threat to Golden State’s demise. Tonight’s game is the first of a rare home-and-home with the Pistons (Houston plays in Detroit on Friday) and the Rockets would love to do nothing more than slow Detroit’s recent upswing en route to booking their 5^th consecutive victory. This Pistons team is not to be overlooked in anyway. They boast reigning Coach of the Year, Duane Casey, who was questionably fired by the Toronto Raptors in the offseason. Casey’s imprint is already being seen on this Detroit team. Blake Griffin and Chris Paul each make the other’s blood boil and will meet for the first time on the same court wherein neither is rocking Clippers threads. The Pistons have one of the best frontcourts in the NBA. Blake Griffin’s partner in crime, center Andre Drummond has been one of the best rebounding, defensive, and all around interior-oriented big-men in the league for the last few seasons. Clint Capela will have his hands full trying to box out Drummond and prevent Griffin finishing at the rim. Capela is coming off his best game of the season (23 points, 16 rebounds vs. Kings) and should be up for the challenge. Chris Paul will undoubtedly be hungry to deal a loss to his former teammate turned rival. Unable to find him in the infamous “locker room tunnel incident” from last season at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CP3 and the Rockets will try and avenge that incident by dealing a blow to Blake’s Pistons’ motors. Houston aims to continue its winning streak and keep the season’s recent positive momentum moving forward.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

Rockets Dethrone Kings, Win 4^th in a Row

For the first time all season, the Rockets cruised to a victory, with little resistance from the opposition. Sacramento played hard, but the Kings were no match for Clint Capela and the Rockets dominant performance that sealed win number 4 in a row. Houston’s big man had his best game of the season, posting 23 points and 16 rebounds, to go along with 4 blocks on the defensive end. Kings’ rookie Marvin Bagley III had a nice game, but Capela showed the skills a dominant big man in the NBA possesses by yearly improvement. The Kings had several guys play well but the Rockets are just a better team. Finally, after succumbing to the competition earlier in the season, Houston is finally demonstrating the ability to beat the teams they’re supposed to beat. This is a great sign for Rockets fans as it shows that the squad’s focus and attention to detail is getting sharper as the season moves along. After a slow start to the season for Capela, he is finally playing the best basketball of the year and possibly his career, as he has been a dominant force in the post. The MVP had another stellar game for the Rockets with 34 points, 8 dimes, and 4 boards. Chris Paul rounded out the big 3’s superior outing with 24 points and 9 assists. It was nice for the Rockets to be on the right side of a blowout, allowing Gerald Green to finally find a groove. Green’s been struggling to fit back into the rotation since his injury and had an efficient 17 points in only 14 minutes. Hopefully, Gerald aka the Green Light has his rhythm back, as his instant energy and hustle off the bench gives Houston one of the deepest second unit’s in the NBA. The Rockets have now won 7 of their last 9 games and are beginning to find chemistry as the team finally gets healthy, and players become more familiar with the new additions to the roster. Up next for Houston, former teammates (and now heated rivals) Chris Paul and Blake Griffin square off as the Detroit Pistons roll into town. Detroit has one of the most dominant frontcourts in the NBA, with Griffin and the underrated beast at center Andre Drummond. Clint Capela will have his hands full, as Drummond has been one of the NBA’s best rebounders for years and this season is no different. The Rockets should be prepared to battle for the boards all night and continue to “Run As One” and they should have their 5^th win in a row in sight.

Rockets Prepped to Give Kings a Glimpse of NBA Royalty

After stumbling out of the gates to start the season at 1-5, the Houston Rockets have managed to win 6 of their last 8 games and are starting to find an identity that they were lacking in the first half dozen games. The team is back to playing great defensive with an emphasis on communication and attention to detail. And, their offense seems to slowly be coming around again like the record-setting season Houston had last year. Tonight, they take on the Sacramento Kings. A young team who has gotten off to better start than most expected, the Kings have young talent across the board but are still a few years away from being legitimately competitive. Their best player, second year point guard De’Aaron Fox, will matchup with Chris Paul. CP3 is in prime mode to show the young guard, who will eventually be an All-Star, what a modern NBA superstar looks like in action. The Beard is returning to MVP form, and the Rockets’ young talent, specifically Gary Clark and Isaiah Hartenstein have been tremendous in limited minutes. Clark should see an uptick in playing time though, as his improvement is noticeable with each passing game. Houston should win their 4^th straight game tonight. It won’t be a walk in the park, the Kings play hard, and if the Rockets come out like they did in the first 6 games, they’ll be in trouble. If we see the Rockets who’ve shown up over the last 8 games, Houston shouldn’t have a problem.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

Rockets Thrash Warriors, 107-86, New Pieces Starting to Fit Nicely

It was rocking at Toyota Center on Thursday night. The decibel meter hadn’t been higher all season as Houston coasted to 21-point victory over the Golden State Warriors in front of a sellout crowd. The Rockets played like a team that was ready for a challenge. They were exceptional on defense and looked as comfortable as they have on both ends of the court as a collective team. Gary Clark hit a few key 3-pointers and was exceptional yet again in his reserve role, truly earning his minutes in the rotation that would have gone mainly to Carmelo Anthony had Melo been able to fit and work in the Rockets system. However, Anthony is not a stand and shoot kind of player. At this position the Rockets need stand and shoot guys like P.J. Tucker, Gary Clark, and James Ennis. As a primary scorer for most of his career, Carmelo Anthony needs the ball to be effective as a shooter. And last night, Clark and James Ennis proved why they are more of capable for picking up the slack from the Melo signing, and more importantly, the holes left in the rotation from Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute. James Ennis is on a role and finally looks like the player I expected him to be as the main replacement for Trevor Ariza. His tenacious defense and deadly shooting was a key reason the Rockets beat the Champs so easily. Ennis’ 19 points is a season high and he turned another brilliant performance, as now, he finally looks more comfortable than ever in a Rockets uniform. It’s also important to note that last season, after Luc Mbah a Moute’s shoulder injury, he was essentially a non-factor in the latter stage of the regular season and the entire postseason. So, Houston really only has one hole to fill and Ennis and Clark are really starting to prove they are more than up to the task of contributing in the areas that Ariza was so effective for the Rockets last season. It’s also a pleasant surprise to see Isaiah Hartenstein contribute as well. “Hustlestein” gives Houston much needed depth in the frontcourt, and provided the highest +/- of any Rockets last night with a +27 in only 15 minutes. The big man also brings hustle and grit and seems to hit the hardwood in every game. These new contributions will take time to be fully integrated in D’Antoni’s system, but since Melo’s departure, the new Rockets’ progress and developed even faster to help the team to 3 straight wins. Granted, the Warriors were without Stephen Curry, but they still had their other 3 All-Stars (Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green) and were held to 30 points combined against a smothering Rockets defense that is focusing on details and communicating better than they have all season. Golden State’s starters didn’t make a single 3-point shot for the first time since 2013. Houston’s defense is really starting to come around as the offense slowly returns to form. The Rockets are starting to look more and more like the contender many were expecting from the start of the season. If the Rockets can continue to integrate the new players seamlessly into D’Antoni’s system, stay healthy, and continue to improve their communication, they have a great chance to not only be better than last season’s team, but be the NBA’s last team standing come June. Especially with a Warriors team on the brink of imploding, the Rockets got a taste of what they’ll need to do moving forward to continue their recent success. Up next, the Sacramento Kings come to town Saturday night as the Rockets will try and push their winning streak to 4 games.

Road to Redemption Begins, Rockets Seek Revenge, As Warriors Come Out To Play

The NBA’s best two teams from last season (and, as the Rockets turn things around, this season as well) meet tonight in Houston at Toyota Center for the first time since the Warriors ended the Rockets title hopes in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals last season. The game couldn’t come at a more pivotal time for Houston. The Rockets sit one game below .500 (6-7) and are beginning to click as a unit and Run As One like Rockets fans expected this season. A victory tonight would give Houston its third straight, and would cement them back into the discussion of teams that are capable of dethroning Golden State. The Warriors, oddly enough, have had their own problems recently of late. The team suspended Draymond Green after Monday’s overtime loss to the Clippers due to a heated argument involving Green and their pampered superstar, the oversensitive Kevin Durant. The altercation escalated into the locker room, and although nothing physical happened, Warriors GM Bob Meyers and Coach Steve Kerr held an in-house discussion on Tuesday to discuss the incident with the team. Meyers and Kerr (usually too cool for school) realized the direness of this situation within their team dynamics. Kevin Durant is a free agent at the end of this season, and you can only have so many superstars on one team before their natural egos will disrupt the group. Durant and Green have been testy for a while now, always able to turn the other cheek. This time it was different. Durant was seen uttering the words, “this is why I’m out” after a pivotal play near the end of the game in which Draymond lost the ball instead of looking to find a wide open Durant for a game breaking shot. So, since Durant is too sensitive for the Warriors to suspend him, and a vastly superior talent to Green, the Warriors decided to suspend Draymond, the man whose capability of being a reliable irritant to every NBA player and team, including his own, never surprises. Not to mention that Stephen Curry is currently out nursing an injury and will be out for at least the next 10 days, the Warriors dynasty has some early season tests. Draymond Green is also listed as questionable for tonight’s match, but I expect him to play, and have a bounce back game. After a smooth 9-1 start, Houston looks to deal the Warriors their 4^th loss in their last 6 games. The Rockets meanwhile have their own injury issues in terms of rotational players. The energetic spark off the bench Gerald Green is questionable for tonight’s game after missing the last several games. And Gary Clark, the savvy rookie who’s taken on more of a role with each passing game, is also listed as questionable. This tilt would provide a great opportunity for Clark to get experience against the NBA’s best. Hopefully he will be able to play. The Rockets have had this game circled on their calendar since the schedule was released. Look for Houston to play with the intensity and defensive focus they’ve shown over the last 2 games and the Rockets will have a great chance to win their first battle of the season against Golden State. Harden and Paul should feast on a Curry-less backcourt, but they will need to contain Klay Thompson, Golden State’s most underrated, yet lethal star. When he gets hot he can prove to be more unstoppable than Curry. However, if Tucker and Ennis can get some help on Durant and Thompson on the defensive end, the Rockets should win game number 3 in a row tonight. Clint Capela, who’s looks sharper with each game, should have his way with Golden State’s big men, stat-padders Jonas Jerebko and Jordan Bell. The Warriors are a dynasty, albeit one that’s teetering on the edge of stability, as egos, rumors, and irritants threaten to tear the team apart, which would be great for the basketball world. Let’s hope the Rockets can push them a little closer to the edge.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

7 PM CT – TNT

 

Rockets Overpower Nuggets, 109-99, Get Their Groove Back

The Melo-drama has ended in Houston, and not that Carmelo Anthony is to blame, but the Rockets look like a much different team since his departure. A lot more like the team from last season. It was also nice to see Jeff Bzdelik back on the bench with the Rockets The defensive genius resides in Denver in the offseason and the Rockets are eager to have him back on the bench for good this season. Bzdelik’s presence was felt on the defensive end tonight as the Rockets brought a collective focus defensively that was the backbone for their 2^nd straight victory. Tuesday’s night’s 109-99 win over the Nuggets in Denver was one of Houston’s best wins of the season. More importantly, the team looked like they were having fun again, and everyone seemed to be in sync. James Ennis had his best game of the year, avoiding foul trouble with 16 points in 34 minutes. His attitude was the brightest part of his performance. Ennis seemed more aggressive than he’s been all season, on both ends of the floor. Not sure if this has anything to do with Carmelo Anthony’s absence, but Ennis looks more comfortable without Melo on the roster. They play the same position. This season, the indistinguishable Ennis was starting at the small forward spot, where the heralded Anthony, for all his statistical glory (earlier in his career), was coming off the bench. I sensed tension between the two players. Nothing overtly obvious, but Ennis is more productive without Anthony on the team. Melo’s stardom put pressure on Ennis to perform as a starter, and his hesitancy and over-aggressiveness early on defense put him in foul trouble for most games to start this season. Now he looks like the player the Rockets were expecting when they signed him in the offseason. Houston’s “big 3” of James Harden, Chris Paul, and Clint Capela (in particular), all had solid games. However, it was the lead of P.J. Tucker’s hustle and attitude that the rest of the team seemed to finally feed off that led them to an impressive victory in the Mile High City. Tucker once again led the team with 41 minutes played. His importance to this team cannot be overstated. P.J.’s hot shooting to start the season and grit on the floor make him one of the NBA’s most underrated players this season. If the Rockets continue to play with his attitude and focus, they will be in great shape for the rest of the season. Tuesday night’s win was huge for Houston as they try and get back to .500 on the season (6-7). They can achieve that goal in the next game. However, it’s not going to be cakewalk. The defending champion Golden State Warriors come to town Thursday night and the Rockets will need to continue playing with this swagger and defensive focus that has brought them two wins in a row. If they want to get three, they’re going to have to play their best basketball of the year.

Houston Tries to Carry Momentum to Denver as Rockets Battle Upstart Nuggets

Fresh off their best win of the season, the Houston Rockets will try and continue winning games the way they did all of last year: hot shooting, effective ball movement, and chemistry as a unit. Carmelo Anthony didn’t make the trip to Denver and his status as Rocket is up in the air. He likely has played his last game in a Rocket uniform. Houston has actually looked more relaxed and comfortable in the D’Antoni system with Melo absent. Anthony is not to blame for the Rockets early-season woes, the team has struggled mightily as a whole. However, he hasn’t made the team better and to be blunt, his contributions simply aren’t needed in Houston. He doesn’t fit like the Rockets expected him too. Melo needs the ball to be effective even if he’s not scoring off the dribble. The problem for Melo is the Rockets need the ball to be in either Harden or Paul’s hands for the team to be effective. For the first time all year, the Beard and CP3 collectively played like they did last season in Sunday night’s win over the Pacers. The Rockets will be taking on a Denver Nuggets team who sports one of the deepest rosters in the entire association. The Nuggets are vastly improved over last year’s squad who barely missed out on the playoffs the last night of the season. Nikola Jokic is the most versatile big man in a game that has evolved from an interior-oriented game into a perimeter-driven game dominated by guards. Jokic (aka The Joker) is arguably the best big man in basketball (certainly the best passing big man) and Clint Capela will have his hands full trying to go toe to toe with the Nuggets’ star. Gary Harris has had a nice start to the season, along with Jamal Murray who will provide the spark for Denver in the backcourt as Will ‘The Thrill” Barton is still out for the Nuggets with an injury. Paul Millsap looks healthy again and is coming off his best game of the young season. The All-Star forward is the glue guy for Denver and the Rockets will need to control the glass against Denver’s imposing big men if they want to come out of the altitude with a victory.

Pepsi Center – Denver, Colorado

8 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet

Rockets Find Offensive Rhythm, Harden Drops Season-High 40, Surge by Pacers 115-103

I saw something familiar on Sunday night at Toyota Center. Something I hadn’t seen in a long time. Kind of like browsing Netflix, coming across an episode you love from one of your favorite shows, and realizing why you love that particular show. James Harden hit a few threes in a row and had the crowd rocking. The squad hustled for plays the way P.J. Tucker does (there’s a reason why he plays the most minutes) on every single play. A new player for Houston finally emerged as a pivotal role player this season (Gary Clark). The Rockets won a home game. Houston actually looked like last season’s Rockets for the first time all season. Especially for the first half and most of this game (despite slowing down to score only 39 second half points). Gary Clark’s hustle and basketball IQ as a rookie, combined with his 3-point shooting ability and defensive tenacity, have cemented him into the rotation for the season. I’ve been impressed with Clark since seeing him in the preseason, and he’s only gotten better with each game in terms of learning on the fly. Most rookies don’t get much playing time, if any at all, on Championship contenders. Clark has earned his minutes and his hustle is comparable to P.J. Tucker’s obsessive commitment to defense and intangibles. Gary Clark was awesome and led the team with 9 rebounds, despite being a rookie guard coming off the bench. The Beard was fantastic with a season-high 40 points to go along with 7 boards and 9 assists. CP3 was great too, supplying 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 dimes. The Rockets had their best win of the season last night. Ironically their previous “best win” this year came against this same Pacers team 6 days ago. Houston won’t play Indiana again this season. The Rockets need to use what they’ve done competing against Indiana against the other teams in the league. Now, we’ll address the Elephant in the Room, (Carmelo Anthony). Anthony has not played in Houston’s previous two games due to an “illness”. However, Anthony practiced at full capability on Friday before the weekend’s games and its now been reported that the Rockets and Anthony are on the verge of parting ways. Melo hasn’t been awful. He’s been ok. And like Coach Mike D’Antoni, GM Daryl Morey, and teammates say, he’s doing everything he can to fit in with this team. Carmelo happens to be a piece that just doesn’t fit with the puzzle Houston is trying to reconstruct in order to salvage their early season struggles and get back to Championship form. Maybe his presence just makes the team worse. As bad as that may sound, the Rockets knew of his predicament before the game and played like a team with the weight of the world off its shoulders. Eric Gordon was great last night after his swirling trade rumors died after Houston’s pursuit of Jimmy Butler ended after he was finally traded to another team. Gary Clark, the man who will step in and get the most playing-time upgrade due to Anthony’s absence, has been stellar. Even though, he’s a rookie and has a long way to go, he KNOWS HIS ROLE. Something that was the essential key to getting the Rockets one win from the NBA Finals. Every single player on last year’s Rockets team knew their role on and off the court. This year, with all the new additions and injuries, it’s been a mess. Hopefully, that mess has been cleaned up and the Rockets have wiped a new slate clean for the rest of this season. 70 games is a long way to go, Houston has time to right the ship, and their moving in the right direction. The immediate road ahead lies very tough for the Rockets. Houston travels to Denver on Tuesday night to take on a Nuggets team some think has a chance to make the Western Conference Finals. Then on Thursday night, it’s the best the NBA has to offer, as the Golden State Warriors come to town for the first time since ending the Rockets title hopes last season. Houston has a great chance to turn the season around with impressive victories in these next two matchups. Let’s hope their recent inspired play continues into this week.

Rockets Seek First Home Victory as They Try and Sweep Season Series with Pacers

Good news. The last time the Rockets faced the Pacers, six days ago, they had their best win of the season over a playoff-bound Indiana team. The bad news is, since that victory, the Rockets offense has disappeared and they can’t buy a shot. Houston’s defense has improved but ironically it’s the offense giving the Rockets all sorts of trouble. Maybe something in this Indiana Pacers team brings out the best in the Rockets. Houston will need to play with determination, focus, and hustle if they want to get their first home win of the season in the books. Indiana will be looking for revenge from Monday’s loss, Houston needs to be ready and fight through any fatigue in order to play with an efficient sense of urgency. Carmelo Anthony won’t be playing again tonight due to an “illness” even though he participated in a full practice on Friday and missed last night’s game for the same reason. A report has surfaced that Anthony and the Rockets are discussing his future role with the team. Don’t be surprised if Melo is waived or traded in the next few days. It’s a marriage that needs to end if Houston wants to improve this season. This is the Rockets’ third game in four nights. Houston will need to battle fatigue and a vengeful Pacers team in order to get a victory tonight. Hopefully they can bust out of their shooting slump and finally get a win in front of the home crowd.

Toyota Center – Houston, Texas

6PM ATTSportsnet

Offense Sputters as Rockets Fail To Score 90 for 2nd Straight Game, Fall to Spurs 96-89

Things started off bad. The Rockets were down early again, 17-8, in the first quarter. Houston seemed to miss more than 20 layups in the first 5 minutes alone. Then Eric Gordon (who had his best game of the season in his return from injury) finally made a layup for the Rockets, which sparked an 11-0 run to give them a 19-17 edge. Ultimately, it didn’t matter. The Rockets weren’t good enough. Again. Yes, the game was somewhat competitive in the 2^nd half compared to their other (mainly) blowout losses, but Houston lost another game they should’ve won. The squad is now 4-7 through the first 11 games of the season. True, there is still plenty of time left, 71 games to go, in the season. However, if the Rockets don’t get their edge back and for once this season efficiently perform on both sides of the floor, Houston will find themselves fighting for a playoff spot from the outside looking in. The irony in much of Houston’s situation is the defense is finally improving for Houston but their offense hasn’t looked this ghastly in the history of the D’Antoni era. Usually, the majority of Houston’s problems are on the defensive end but this season has been different, in particular the last couple of games. The Rockets abysmal shooting and inability to convert on shots they made the vast majority of the time last season has led them to put up college-number scoring numbers. The rest of the league is putting up record numbers on offense. Houston will need to catch up, and quick, or else this season could be one of the worst in recent memory. Next up for the Rockets are the Indiana Pacers who Houston saw just a few nights ago on Monday in Indianapolis. I never thought I’d say this well into the season, but the Rockets will try and (finally) get their first home win of the campaign Sunday night at Toyota Center. It’s a quick turnaround. Let’s hope the Rockets put urgency in front of fatigue on their priority list and gut a much-needed victory.