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Rockets Blow Lead as Thunder Comeback to Leave Houston Stunned, 117-112

 

A Tale of Two Halves.    Thunderstruck.    Red Headed Stranger.

 

In a season that’s clearly been a tale of two teams, Saturday night’s disastrous collapse for Houston was a tale of two halves.  The Rockets led by as many as 26 at one point, yet the Thunder stormed back to shock Houston, 117-112.  The Rockets were was in control of this game throughout the first half.  Houston built their lead in a dominant 2^nd quarter, outscoring the Thunder 42-23, but they gave the lead back to OKC in the 3^rd quarter.  Oklahoma City’s 3^rd quarter surge, they outscored Houston 42-20, brought them back in the game, allowing them to close out the Rockets in the final quarter.  James Harden finished with 42 points to extend his 30-point streak, but it wasn’t’ enough.  Kenneth Faried had another double-double, posting 17 points and 12 boards.  Chris Paul dissected the OKC defense for much of the night, and was just shy of a triple double.  CP3 finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 dimes as he looks better with each game.  Iman Shumpert looked to be finding his footing with the squad in his debut.  More playing time is required to see if Shump will be a nice fit like many expect.  The newest Rocket finished with 3 points and 4 rebounds in his debut.

Houston toyed around with another team on Saturday night.  Except this squad was an elite opponent, and no matter how sizeable the advantage, no lead is safe for the Rockets.  The Thunder boast two of the league’s premier players in Russell Westbrook and Paul George.  The two led the charge as OKC left the Rockets thunderstruck on Saturday night.  George had 45 points and 11 rebounds to go along with some of the best defense James Harden has seen in some time.  Westbrook finished with 21 points, 12 boards, and 11 dimes for his NBA-record tying 9^th consecutive triple-double.  An NBA team is never out of a game, especially a team like OKC with two superstars who can get hot and carry a team.  Houston paid for taking their foot off the gas, and the Thunder struck back.  The Rockets need to address their habit of blowing leads and if they can’t fix this issue, they might find themselves out of the playoffs sooner than expected.

As the season moves on, this Rockets team is becoming more and more difficult to predict.  They’re like a red headed stranger.  You just don’t know what they’ll do next.  Just when you think they’re going to win, they lose, and vice versa.  Houston needs to start finding a defensive identity if they want to be considered contenders.  The Rockets have a lot of bad habits associated with young teams.  Houston is one of the older teams in the NBA.  The squad needs to start putting the pieces together to get ready for a post-all-star break push.  Up next for the Rockets, interstate rivals come to town as the Mavs get ready to show off their rookie phenom, Doncic, in front of the H-Town fans.  Last time, the rookie led a comeback to put Houston away in another game featuring a Rocket-collapse.  Hopefully, the Rockets learned from their mistakes on Saturday night.  And, maybe it’s the wake-up call the Rockets needed to stop playing around.  Only time will tell.

Rockets Aim to Quiet Thunder in Shumpert’s Debut

 

A Storm’s Coming.    Rocket Moves.    The Shump Factor.  

 

A storm is coming to Houston.  On Saturday night, the Rockets host the Thunder in a battle of potential playoff opponents.  The Thunder have won 9 of 10 games, and currently sit in the 3^rd spot, 3 games ahead of Houston in the standings.  All-Star Starter Paul George is having the best season of his career, leading the Thunder in scoring.  In their last game, Russell Westbrook had his 8^th consecutive triple-double, one shy of the NBA record.  Westbrook and George are arguably the most deadly one-two punch in the league, and the Rockets will have their hands full trying to contain them.  The Thunder’s Steven Adams will pose problems to a Capela-less Rockets team in the paint.  Nene and the Manimal need to play big in the post for the Rockets to a get a win.  Houston looks to keep streaking and make it 4 in a row, after closing their road trip with 3 impressive victories.  Tonight’s game is a pivotal one as the All-Star break approaches.  A win puts the Rockets within 2 games of the Thunder, with a loss pushing them back to 4 games behind in the standings.  Saturday’s contest will be a test of fortitude for the Rockets, and should provide a telling first look at their newest addition.

Houston made a few moves at the trade deadline, and Morey recently stated they’re expected to make more acquisitions once several players become available on the buyout market.  The Rockets traded James Ennis to the Sixers for a future 2^nd round pick.  Ennis was starting see an uptick in minutes and improvement in play, but Houston obviously thought he wasn’t necessary in their equation for success.  Ennis was solid in his short time with the Rockets, but had the look of a player who might fold under pressure in the playoffs.  Houston offloaded Brandon Knight and Marquesse Chriss to Cleveland in a 3-team deal that brings versatile vet Iman Shumpert from Sac-Town to H-Town.  Knight and Chriss never played many minutes, and the former Kings swingman is an upgrade over James Ennis at the small forward position.  The Menace will be missed, but Morey brought in a different sort of menace in Shump, one whose presence will be felt immediately.

First, it was Austin Rivers, not long after Chris Paul went down.  Then, it was Kenneth Faried, shortly after Clint Capela’s injury.  And now, at the trade deadline time, it’s Iman Shumpert.  Shump played with the Kings this season, and helped be a leadership presence for Sacramento’s younger core.  Previously, Shumpert was on the Cavaliers team that made the Finals the previous 3 seasons, and he was a key piece of the rotation when the Cavs won the title in 2016.  This season, Shumpert was instrumental in helping the Kings become one of the most improved teams in the NBA.  His absence was sorely missed in Sacramento during their blowout loss to the Rockets in the teams’ previous game.  Shumpert’s defense and experience will be the most important attributes he brings to this Houston squad.  The versatile wing can guard positions 1-4, and is quick enough to switch on defense.  Shump’s experienced, playing in 4 NBA Finals, and has always been best when playing with a superstar.  He played with Carmelo in his happier-Knick days, LeBron in Cleveland, and now Harden in Houston.

The newest Rocket’s transition into D’Antoni’s system should to be seamless.  Look for Shumpert to have an immediate impact on the floor for Houston, comparable to how Rivers and the Manimal contributed right away once they became Rockets.  Once Clint Capela returns, if Houston can stay healthy, they have a deeper roster than last season.  It’s a big “if”, but Shumpert’s addition to the lineup is another impressive find by Daryl Morey.  Houston’s GM has been stellar all season long in finding unwanted players from other teams.  Guys that not only keep the Rockets afloat, but improve the team.  Iman Shumpert brings the same level of grit and intensity that Rivers and Faried added to the squad when they arrived.  Before last season, Morey said he was caught between signing P.J. Tucker or Iman Shumpert.  Now the Rockets have both. And with some luck in the health department, a storm is coming for the rest of the NBA.

Toyota Center:  Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

 

Oklahoma City Thunder (35-19):  Blue

Houston Rockets (32-22):  “City Edition” Maroon

 

TV:  7:30 PM CT – ABC

Fit For a Beard:  Rockets Overpower Kings, 127-101

 

Dominant Exhibition.    Gearing Up.    Streaking.

 

Well, so much for a tussle in Sacramento.  The NBA’s MVP wasted no time getting off to a hot start on Wednesday night.  Harden fueled the Rockets to a dominant 127-101 victory over the Kings in Sacramento.  The Beard finished with 36 points, extending his 30-point streak to 28 games.  Harden had plenty of help as Houston brought forth its best team-effort of the road-trip.  The Rockets had 6 players score in double-figures, and brought the intensity on defense to intimidate a young Kings squad.  De’Aaron Fox managed only 6 points against Houston’s defense.

The Rockets broke the game open in the 2nd quarter, outscoring the Kings by 27 points in the period.  Gerald Green had 25 off the bench, and Chris Paul had 15 points and 11 assists to guide the offense.  Eric Gordon chipped in with 20 points.  When Splash Gordon is effective on both ends of the floor, Houston’s almost impossible to beat.  Kenneth Faried had another double-double, and the Rockets showed Kings fans what a contender looks like in person.

Houston’s starting to click on all cylinders, despite some issues defensively that still need to be addressed.  Faried has now cemented his role as part of the Rockets frontcourt.  Once Clint Capela returns after the All-Star break, Houston will be the healthiest they’ve been all season.  Throw in the addition of Rivers and Faried to a healthy roster, and the Rockets have arguably the deepest team in the league.  They also picked up Iman Shumpert via trade, and Nik Stauskas.  Shumpert, a gritty wing who defends with ferocity, can knock down the open three.  A perfect fit in D’Antoni’s system.  Stauskas, aka “Sauce Castillo”, is primarily a 3-point shooter and could potentially play well in Houston.  The trade deadline is Thursday afternoon.  Daryl Morey always has a trick up his sleeve.  Don’t be surprised if more moves are made before the deadline strikes.

The Rockets, believe it or not, currently have the longest winning streak in the Western Conference.  Only 3 games, but they’re 3 blowout road wins and impressive victories.  Houston needs to carry this momentum they gathered at the end of the road trip back home.   A storm is coming to Houston on Saturday night.  Russell Westbrook and the Thunder come to town.  OKC has won 8 of 10 games.  The Rockets will need to get off to a hot start back home if they want to keep streaking in the right direction.  Saturday night’s contest will be a challenging test… a Russell-infused tussle.

Rockets Battle Kings as Road Trip Ends

 

The Young and the Restless.    Contenders vs. Pretenders.    Best Show on Court.

 

James Harden takes his Rockets into Sacramento on Wednesday night for a tussle on the Kings’ court.  Houston looks to close out their 4-game road trip strong with a victory in Sac-Town.  The Kings are one of the most improved teams in the NBA this season.  Sacramento boasts an array of young, talented players, who are starting to come into their own at the professional level.  De’Aaron Fox might be the fastest player in the entire NBA.  The Kings’ point guard is having a breakout sophomore year, and is hard to contain in transition.  Sacramento also boasts Marvin Bagley III, who is coming off a solid double-double in their previous game.  Buddy Hield is in a groove this season, and Willie Cauley-Stein is starting to be a force in the paint for the Kings.  Bogdan Bogdanovic is one of the best 6^th men in the league, and a sharpshooter.  Houston needs to keep their eyes on Bogie and Buddy on the perimeter.  Despite all the Kings’ potential, they should be no match for the Rockets, who are seeking their third straight win on the road.

Tonight’s matchup pits one of the NBA’s rising teams, the Kings, against one of the NBA’s elite, the Rockets.  Houston’s still dealing with injury problems, but they’ve managed to stay afloat in the brutal West, despite all the bumps and bruises.  When healthy, the Rockets are the most lethal contenders to Golden State’s throne.  Sacramento has a promising young core, led by Fox, but they’re seasons away from being Kings of the NBA.  Sacramento are pretenders at the moment, on the outside looking in at the playoffs.  The postseason will eventually be in the Kings’ future, just not yet.  Houston aims to show Sacramento what NBA royalty looks like, despite missing Capela.  The Rockets need to bring the same level of focus they played with in Utah to get a victory over a hungry Kings team.

Only 4 games remain until the All-Star break.  While, the Rockets aren’t at full strength yet, closing the last 4 games with wins would be a huge boost for the squad’s confidence.  It starts tonight, but the Rockets need to be ready.  If Houston comes out sleepwalking, they could be in trouble early in Sacramento.  The Kings have won 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5, including snapping San Antonio’s 5-game winning streak on Monday.  Sacramento is only one game out of playoff spot.  But it’s not their time.  Not yet.  The Rockets will try to push the Kings back in their seat in the 9^th spot in the standings.  Look for Kenneth Faried to have another big game in the paint and on the glass for Houston.  The Manimal’s been on fire.  Oh, and The Unguardable Tour is still playing in arenas nationwide.   And the Best Show on Court isn’t coming to an end anytime soon.

 

Golden 1 Center:  Sacramento, California

        

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (31-22):  White

Sacramento Kings (28-25):  Purple

 

TV:  9 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet SW

 

 

 

Harden’s 44 Lift Rockets Over Suns, 118-110

 

20 for 40.    Manimal Manhandler.    Moving Up.

 

Everybody won on Monday in the Valley of the Sun.  James Harden got to play in front of his Arizona State fans, and the MVP led the Rockets to a 118-110 victory over the Suns in Phoenix.  The 30-Point Streak wasn’t coming to an end in the desert.  The Beard honed his college skills at nearby ASU, and still has a plethora of fans in the Phoenix area.  Harden had 44 points, including 14 in the 4^th quarter to help stave off a Suns comeback-attempt.  It was his 20^th game this season with 40 points, and Harden’s 27^th straight with 30 or more.  The Rockets won for the 10th straight time in Phoenix, and have beaten the Suns in the teams’ last 9 matchups.

The Unguardable Tour continued, and Phoenix had no answer for the Beard’s mastery.  Chris Paul assisted Harden when the game got dicey in the final quarter.  Houston’s star backcourt scored all but 2 points in the 4^th quarter, combining for 22 of the 24 in the final period.  CP3 looks like he’s slowly coming back to form.  He had 18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 dimes.  The Point God allowed Harden to get a breather here and there so he could exert with more effort and efficiency late in the game.  Together, with the help of the Manimal, they helped keep the Suns at bay.

Kenneth Faried had himself another solid game.  The Manimal continues to impress.  Faried manhandled Phoenix’s frontline on the glass, en route to 17 points and 14 boards.  It was his 5^th double-double in 6 games.  The newest Rocket continues to impress beyond anyones expectations.  His energy level was expected.   But Faried’s seamless ability to learn D’Antoni’s system and gel with the chemistry of the squad is a unique skillset all in its own. Houston is lucky to have the Manimal, and he’s been a lifesaver in Clint Capela’s absence.

Only 4 games remain until the All-Star break.  Capela is expected to return after the break.  Hopefully, the Rockets only have 4 more games without their big fella out of the lineup.  Eric Gordon also missed tonight’s game.  Houston hopes to have him back Wednesday.  With the Spurs loss to the Kings, the Rockets move up back to the 5^th spot in the standings out West.  With 29 games to go, Houston has the opportunity to get home court advantage in the conference, and one of the top seeds.

The Rockets got some help from the Suns tonight.  Phoenix is obviously in tank-mode and tryin’ for Zion.  Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, their 2 best players, were nowhere to be found late in the game when it mattered.  Their rookie coach, Igor Kokosvok, wasn’t subtle about tanking, and the Rockets caught a slight break.  That won’t be the case for Houston in their next game.  The aforementioned Kings just snapped the Spurs 5-game winning streak, and helped the Rockets move up a notch.  Houston won’t be getting any help from Sacramento on Wednesday.  The Rockets are going to have to beat a young, talented Kings team that is inches out of a playoff spot.  Sacramento isn’t tryin’ for Zion, and on Wednesday, only one team is winning.

Rockets Clash With Young, Deserted Suns

 

All By Themselves.   Overlook Watch.   Valley of the Young and Done.  

 

Stop number 3 on Houston’s 4-game road-trip is in Phoenix as the Rockets take on the Suns on Monday night.  Phoenix is separated from the rest of the pack in the West.  The Suns are clearly the worst team in the crowded conference, and Houston should have no problem taking care of business in the valley of the sun.  Phoenix has lost ten straight games, and they’re eyeing the tank-portion of the season as they set their sights on the potential of landing Zion Williamson in the NBA Draft, this June.  The Suns are very young, with a rookie head coach.  Phoenix can pose problems if Houston reverts back to annoying trends comparable to playing down to their competition, as seen earlier this season.  The Rockets have won 8 straight against the Suns, including 9 in a row in Phoenix.  They’ll look to extend those streaks Monday night, with a carryover performance from Saturday’s exceptional win in Utah.

The Rockets can’t afford to overlook any more bad teams on the schedule.  Phoenix are one of those bad teams, and Houston needs to take care of business early so they can get some rest in their 3^rd game in 4 nights.  Harden and the Rockets have toyed with inferior competition all season long.  Their lack of focus and inability to “get up” for the worst teams in the NBA has come back to bite Houston several times.  The Rockets have lost at least 5 games they should have won this season.  Winning those games would have Houston in the 3^rd spot instead of the 6^th in the Western Conference.  Look for the Beard’s “Unguardable” Tour to continue in Phoenix as the Rockets should put the Suns away early.  Houston is 8-7 in their last 15 games, with many of those losses coming to inferior opponents.  Harden and the Rockets look to put an end to that trend with a win Monday.

Despite having the 2^nd worst record in the league, the Suns have a young, talented core at the center of their roster.  Devin Booker, only 22, is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, and will soon be an All-Star.  DeAndre Ayton, only 20, was the 1^st overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft, and the big man is having a stellar rookie campaign.  If Luka Doncic wasn’t having a magical season in Dallas, Ayton would be this season’s Rookie of the Year.  The Suns season is finished.  Not technically, but Phoenix has already clinched a losing season, and won’t be making the playoffs.  It doesn’t mean they won’t present challenges for the Rockets.  Ayton will pose problems in the post, and the Rockets don’t have anyone big enough to guard him besides the limited minutes Nene will see.  The Manimal, Kenneth Faried, is poised to have another effective game for the Rockets as they look to win their 2^nd straight as they try and finish this portion of the season strong heading into the All-Star break.

Talking Stick Resort Arena:  Phoenix, Arizona

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (30-22):  “City Edition” Maroon

Phoenix Suns (11-43):  White

 

TV:  8 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet SW

 

 

Rockets Stifle Gobert, Silence Jazz 125-98

 

Hardefense.    Greenlit.    Resilient Rockets.

 

The most unpredictable season in recent memory continued on Saturday night as the Rockets rolled into Utah and blasted the Jazz, 125-98, in Salt Lake City.  Both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back, but Utah had the advantages.  The Jazz played at home the previous night, and had a much healthier roster than the depleted Rockets.  Houston stepped up and played with more energy and a sense of urgency in order to build a lead relatively quickly.  Their team defense was stellar all night, on switches, communication, and attacking Utah’s offense.  And the Unguardable Tour continued.  James Harden had his 19^th 40-point game of the season, and arguably his most impressive stat-line of the campaign.  The Beard finished with 43 points, 12 rebounds, 5 dimes, 6 steals, and 4 blocks.  Harden came a swat away from setting the record for most points scored with a 5×5 stat line.  James was all over the place on defense, and had a few great plays stifling Gobert in the post.  It’s about time people shut up about Harden not playing defense.  James had another stellar defensive outing to go along with his offensive prowess.  It’s hard to get 4 blocks, even harder to get 6 steals. Harden did both in the same game.  The Beard’s been playing exceptional on both ends of the court all year, but only gets the credit on defense when the stat line produces evidence, per usual.  All that matter for the Rockets is that their star continues to play at this level, and when healthy, this team will start to get closer to their potential.  As a team, the squad needs to keep playing hard defense, it can’t just be an occasional trend for the Rockets.

Houston kept control of the game because the bench showed up, finally.  The Rockets bench had 45 points, including a season-high 25 from Gerald Green.  The Houstonian had the green light to let it fly from deep, and it worked for the Rockets.  Green went 7 of 12 from beyond the arc, and his energy was infectious, as Houston allowed really clamped down on defense.  Just the night before, in Denver, the Rockets gave up a whopping 83 first half points.  More than some teams score in an entire game.  Houston brought more effort on the defensive end, and it showed in Salt Lake City.  Kenneth Faried also outplayed Rudy Gobert.  The Manimal posted 16 points and 12 boards, while holding the Stifle Tower to only 10 points.  Rivers had 16 off the bench, and Ennis started the game for Houston and contributed aggressive energy for the squad.

Salt Lake City on Saturday demonstrated the resiliency of this Rockets team.  When their backs have been against the wall, Houston has pulled through every time this season.  See their games on 1/3 against the Warriors, 1/25 against Toronto, and now Saturday night in Utah as proof of this squad’s resiliency.  Chris Paul didn’t play in any of those games, the Rockets 3 most impressive victories this season.  Clint Capela didn’t play in 2 of them.  If Houston can stay healthy, they’re potential to do damage in the postseason is the highest it’s been in the Harden-era.  And the Beard’s “Unguardable Tour” doesn’t look to be coming to an end any time soon.  Despite all the bad losses, with some luck in the health department, the Rockets have an honest chance to be even better than last year’s team come playoff time.  Next on the schedule, Houston travels to Phoenix to take on the Suns, the worst team in the West.  The Rockets should pounce on the Suns early, like they did to the Jazz, and cruise to an easy victory over inferior competition.  This game should be more predictable… but as this season’s come to prove, anything could happen.

Rockets Try to Quiet Jazz’ Tune in Salt Lake City

 

The Crying Game.   Deadly Duo.   Brutality Awaits.  

 

“As the man said, it’s in my nature.”  The final line from the classic 90’s film, The Crying Game, poses the question what is the nature of man.  In terms on tonight’s contest, human nature exposes itself in several facets.  After snubbed (one of the worst in NBA history) from being voted an All-Star, Rudy Gobert became emotional and cried after getting a call from his mother as she cried her heart out for him.  It’s understandable, crying is part of human nature and Rudy Gobert, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, deserved to be an All-Star.  More than Klay Thompson, whose Warrior teammates took to social media to make fun of Gobert for crying.  Crying is still viewed as a sign of weakness for men in the eyes of many in society.  However, it’s not a weakness. Rudy Gobert knows that, and has been playing with fire since being snubbed only a few days ago, finishing with 25 points and 13 rebounds last night in a victory over the Hawks.  Sadly for Houston, Gobert’s next target is a Rockets team thin on the frontcourt that was eaten alive in Denver on Friday night.  Last night’s game was a crying shame in Denver.  Houston looks to avoid another crying game tonight in Utah.

Rudy Gobert is the biggest snub in this year’s all-star game, and he’s not even the best player in Utah.  Donovan “Spida” Mitchell, after getting off to a slow start to his sophomore campaign, is really starting to hit his groove and get back to the levels he was playing at in his rookie of the year-caliber season.  Mitchell was snubbed as well.  Honestly, I would have put Mitchell in over Gobert, as Spida has been carrying the load offensively for Utah.  But it doesn’t matter, neither player made it, and that’s not good for the Rockets.  Houston comes into Utah facing one of the hottest teams in the NBA in 2019, with some added-motivation.  Mitchell has been a Rocket-killer throughout his young career, having some of his biggest games against Houston in the past.  Look for this to be another game where Clint Capela’s absence stares the Rockets smack-dab in the face.  Kenneth Faried continues to play with great energy, but as Jokic was too big in Denver, look for Gobert to pose the same problems for Faried and Houston’s frontcourt in Utah.  Gobert, aka “The Stifle Tower” has been getting praise from nearly everyone but Golden State since showing emotion, and the rest of the league will have to contend with added ferocity from the Stifle Tower for his absence from the upcoming All-Star weekend.

This game poses so many problems for the Rockets I don’t know where to begin.  They’re facing one of the hottest teams in the league in 2019.  The Jazz have won 8 of 10 and have quietly climbed the standings since 2019 began.  A win over Houston tonight would propel the Jazz past the Rockets in the standings.  Utah boasts one of the loudest home-courts in the NBA, and is always a very tough place to play.  Throw in the added motivation from their top two players (due to being the All-Star Game’s biggest snubs) and brutality awaits Houston on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.  The Rockets will need to look inwards and hope they can turn the clock back, to a week or two ago, when Harden averaged around 53 points over a 3-game stretch.  Houston needs a monumental game from the Beard tonight if they want to win this contest.  Chris Paul is out tonight for rest, and the whole squad needs to step up and give Harden the required help.  EG left last night’s game in Denver with an injury, which has sadly become part of his nature.  Austin Rivers will get the start if EG can’t go.  Hopefully, it’ll kick-start him out of his current shooting slump.  The Beard?  Tonight’s one of those nights where, unfortunately, Harden will be asked to do almost everything.  The Beard’s starting to look tired in recent games, but if there’s anyone, in any season, who has the ability to put a team on his back en route to a win… it’s this season’s James Harden.  It’s in his nature.

 

Vivint Smart Home Arena:  Salt Lake City, Utah

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (29-22):  White

Utah Jazz (30-23):  Green

 

TV:  8 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet SW

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rocky Mountain Horror Show: Rockets Streak Against Nuggets Ends in 136-122 Defeat

 

Ghosts in the Paint.    Streak-Busters.    Help.  

 

What started out as a hot first-quarter for both teams soon turned into a dunk parade.  One showcased by Denver’s young talent, as they got anything they wanted in a 136-122 victory over the Rockets on Friday night.  The loss for Houston ended their 9-game winning streak over the Nuggets, and exposed holes in the Rockets defense all night.  Houston had a solid first quarter, scoring 43 points, but after that the offense cooled down.  And the defense… what defense?  There was none to be found on Houston’s end as they allowed layup after layup, and dunk after dunk, in what turned into a Rocky Mountain Horror Show for the Rockets.  Houston gave up a staggering 83 points in the first half, including 48 in the 2^nd quarter when they were outscored by 20, and essentially let the game get out of hand.  James Harden had 30 to lead Houston, hitting a late-3 to extend his 30-point game streak, but the Rockets defensively were the worst they’ve been all season.

The Nuggets got whatever they wanted against the Rockets defense, on the perimeter, and especially inside the paint.  Malik Beasley had the game of his career, leading the Nuggets with 35 points.  Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 13 boards, and 9 dimes as the Rockets were ghosts in the paint, allowing the Nuggets to see no defense, thus fear no defense.  Torrey Craig chipped in with 22 to help the balanced Nuggets attack.  Chris Paul had 20 points in a game he should have sat (was doubtful prior to the contest, then upgraded to probable).  Kenneth Faried was about the only bright spot.  The Manimal had another efficient game filled with effort for Houston.  Faried finished with 23 points and 6 boards, but despite all his hustle, the Manimal isn’t tall enough to match up with a true center like Nikola Jokic, and the Joker feasted on him all night.  Clint Capela’s absence was painfully felt in this contest, and shows why his presence is vital to the Rockets success in the future, especially against bigger lineups.  A game after giving up 70 points in the paint to a Pelicans team resembling G-Leaguers, Houston allowed 62 points in the paint in Denver.  Capela’s defensive presence has been sorely lacking, as opposing teams are starting to take advantage of Houston’s thin frontcourt.

The Unguardable Tour continued, barely.  Harden hit a late 3 to get to 30 and keep his streak going, but all other Houston streaks were busted last night in Denver.  Friday marked the first time the Beard wasn’t the game’s overall leading scorer since his 30-point streak began.  The Rockets streak of 9 consecutive wins over the Nuggets also came to an end (they hadn’t lost to Denver since 2015).  For the first time in 15 games, Houston dropped back-to-back games.  Clint Capela is primed to return the first game after the All-Star break, and the Rockets just need to stay afloat until the break.  Only 6 games remain until All-Star break.  Houston needs to grind together and play with more effort until they get their promising big-man back.

For now, the Rockets need some help.  Chris Paul wasn’t even expected to play in Denver, and he is doubtful for Saturday’s tilt in Utah.  Paul looked slower, and his ability to create his own shot has become noticeably downgraded.  Eric Gordon left the game in Denver and didn’t return, his status against the Jazz is also questionable.  Houston can’t afford to lose any more guys, being shorthanded, and James Harden is starting to look visibly gassed.  The Beard barely had 30, but it seemed forced near the end, as his shooting touch was off, and the wear of carrying a team for over half a season might be getting to Harden.  The MVP needs a break more than anyone (even though he’ll be in the ASG). Harden has looked exhausted as we near the All-Star break.  Only 6 games remain before the intermission.  Houston needs to give Harden the help the MVP has warranted after carrying the team through the toughest stretch of the season.  Rivers, Tucker, Green, Ennis, and others need to feed off of the Manimal’s energy in hopes it will boost the squad.  Right now, the Rockets need a lot of help.  The subsequent guys need to step up if Houston wants to have a puncher’s chance of escaping Utah with a victory.

Rockets Fly into Denver, Look to Keep Rolling Against Mile High Competition

Rocky Road.    New Leaf.    Players of the Month.

At least the Rockets don’t have to play the Pelicans at home anymore.  Something I never thought I would say before the season began.  Two of Houston’s most embarrassing losses of the season have come against New Orleans.  Sadly for Houston fans, that hasn’t been out of the norm for the Rockets this season.  They’ve had more success against championship-contending competition, compared to the NBA’s average to bad teams, with whom they’ve struggled.  Thankfully for Rocket fans, Houston is in Denver tonight taking on the 2^nd-seeded Nuggets.  Something else I never thought I would say before the season started.

This season, Denver has exceeded expectations and currently holds the 2^nd spot in the West.  Fortunately, the Rockets have had recent success against the Nuggets, winning the last 9 matchups between the squads, including a victory in Denver earlier this season.  The Nuggets, being one of the “contending” teams this year, give Houston a chance to beat another great team.  The road ahead for Houston is rough.  They’re in Utah tomorrow night, and 7 of their next 9 games are on the road, with 5 of those games coming against probable playoff teams.  Houston faces a Denver team that’s deeper and healthier than the previous time these squads faced off.  The Nuggets have won 4 straight, including 9 of their last 12 contests since they fell to the Rockets in Houston in early-January.  Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets best player, was named as an All-Star for the first time in his career yesterday.  Houston will need to contain the “Joker” aka “Big Honey”, (as revealed on TNT last night) and limit his production to keep their success in the Mile High City rolling.

For the first time this season, the Rockets will debut and wear the “City Edition” maroon jerseys tonight featuring the Chinese symbols.  Chinese New Year is on Tuesday, and the Rockets will don the Maroon for 2 of their next 3 games.  Hopefully, Chinese New Year will signal the turning of a new leaf for Houston, and the end of the Rockets losing to bad teams and playing down to their competition.  Houston can’t afford to lose too many more games, and they need to win every game they’re favored in order to get the best playoff positioning possible.

James Harden was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Month today, for the second straight month, deservedly so.  The “Unguardable Tour”, as it’s being called, continued throughout the entire month of January.  Don’t expect the tour to stop any time soon.  It’s a season-long show, and the Rockets are hoping it continues deep into the playoffs.  Houston recently called up Isaiah Hartenstein, who had a torrid January, and was named the G-League’s Player of the Month for January.  “Hustlestein” has dominated in the paint and seen an uptick in his production for the month while developing his game in the NBA’s version of the “minors.”  The Rockets need that production to translate against NBA-competition, at least while Clint Capela remains sidelined.  Hartenstein should play nicely alongside Kenneth Faried, as he brings a similar style of hustle to the squad.  And in the NBA, you can never have too much hustle on one team.

The “Manimal” returns to Denver, where he spent the majority of his career, and had his best seasons.  Faried is always ready to play, but should be especially amped-up to take on his former-team tonight.  Houston comes in to Denver on two days rest.  Look for the Rockets to feed off the Manimal and Hartenstein’s energy, as they battle in the paint against one of the best Centers in the League in Nikola Jokic.  Chris Paul was going to rest tonight, given the Rockets are in Utah tomorrow night.  Although a few hours ago, his status has been upgraded and the Point God will take the court tonight.  Houston needs to continue playing with the grit and energy they’ve brought when facing the NBA’s best, and they should get a win tonight.  The Pelicans aren’t in town so don’t expect any surprises.  If the Rockets lose tonight, it’ll be at the hands of a great Nuggets team.  Although Houston has had a pretty great hand themselves when playing great teams this season.  Expect a close game that goes down to the wire.  Look for the Rockets, still angry over their unfathomable loss to the Pelicans, to play with a chip on their shoulder tonight, and take down the Nuggets once again.

 

Pepsi Center:  Denver, Colorado

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (29-21):  “City Edition” Maroon

Denver Nuggets (35-15):  Blue

 

TV:  9 PM CT – ESPN & ATT Sportsnet SW