Blog

Rockets Return Home to Face Their Toughest Challenge Yet

Quiet Man, Loud Game.    Interior Nightmare.   Can Harden Do It Again?

Houston has now split their last 11 games, and they look to buck that trend tonight with a victory, but it won’t be easy.  The Rockets return to Houston to face off against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at Toyota Center.  Toronto is a legitimate contender and in my opinion will represent the East in the Finals come June.  They’re one of the deepest teams in the league, and they have the best perimeter defender in the NBA, who’s also a lethal offensive player, in Kawhi Leonard.  Kawhi’s missed the previous 4 games, including resting on Tuesday to give him extra time to prepare for James Harden’s onslaught.  Leonard doesn’t say much, at least in the public eye.  However, his play on both ends of the court speaks volumes.  Houston’s problem is, Kawhi will be guarding James Harden for most of the night.  Leonard’s problem is, no one has stopped the Beard’s onslaught.  Fans are on in for a treat, as it will be one of the best individual matchups to watch all season.

Outside of the Harden/Leonard matchup lies the real problem for the Rockets in this game.  Toronto is deep, in size, and at every position.  Former Rocket and current Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry has gelled perfectly with new teammate Leonard.  Serge Ibaka is quietly having a career year, and Pascal Siakam will probably win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award.  They pose an interior nightmare to a Capela-less Rockets squad whose thin frontcourt could be demolished in this game if Houston doesn’t play hard as a team.  Luckily for the Rockets, Raptors Center Jonas Valanciunas is out with an injury, but Toronto will still pose nightmares all night long if Houston doesn’t come out focused from the start.  The Rockets needs everyone to crash the glass and rebound, as this will be a key factor that decides the contest.  This game exposes why Clint Capela is so important to Houston.  His absence will be sorely missed in this game, and Chris Paul isn’t playing either (rumored to return Sunday).  Houston has their hands full with the Raptors in town tonight.  The squad needs to help the Beard out, as this will be one of the toughest challenges the Rockets face while they’re still hobbled.

Coming off a career-high 61 points, can James Harden do it again?  Can the Beard put up another monstrous performance, while be guarded by the best defender in the entire league?  The Rockets are praying for another special episode of the Harden Show.  Houston will need it, along with performances from everyone on the team to win tonight’s game.  Harden and the Rockets can prove a lot with a victory tonight, but it’s going to be an uphill climb to get it done.  Houston can’t let their foot off the gas, and they can’t afford to fall behind early against a team like Toronto, or they could find themselves in a hole they can’t climb out.  Gerald Green and the bench need to bring the energy, and the Rockets need their shots to be falling if they want to beat one of the East’s beasts.

 

Toyota Center: Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Toronto Raptors (36-14): Black

Houston Rockets (27-20): “Earned” Crimson Red

 

TV: 7 PM CT – ESPN – ATT Sportsnet SW

Harden’s Garden: The Beard’s 61 Points Carry Rockets Past Knicks, 114-110

King of New York.   Splash Gordon Gets Déjà Vu.   Don’t Blink.

 

         “From now on, nothing goes down unless I’m involved”, Frank White claims, after the going gets rough, in the under-seen masterpiece, King of New York.  A crown James Harden can also claim, after roasting the Big Apple for 61 points and leading the Rockets to a 114-110 victory, over the woeful Knicks on Wednesday night.  The going got rough for Houston in a sloppy game at Madison Square Garden.  The Knicks grabbed momentum late, and almost spoiled another game for the Rockets.  This contest was sloppy, and Houston was barely able to escape New York with a victory.  Lucky for the Rockets, Harden owned the Garden.  The 61 points were a career-high for the Beard, who continues to set records, it seems, with each passing game.  Eric “Splash” Gordon saved the day again with a go-ahead three-pointer to give the Rockets the lead for good after they trailed 112-110 in the final minute.  Houston almost blew the contest on several occasions.  P.J. Tucker, in the most head-scratching play of the year, almost literally gave the game to the Knicks.  Tucker let an inbounds toss from Gordon just sit under the basket, until a Knick finally grabbed the ball for a lay-up.  The Knicks had a chance to win the game on the final possession, until Harden simply had enough, stole the ball for a signature dunk that gave him 61 points, and sealed the win for the Rockets.

Despite all the glory around Harden’s career-game, the reality is: since Houston couldn’t come to a contract agreement with Danuel House Jr., they’re two Eric Gordon clutch three-pointers from being 0-4 since departing with the undervalued glue-guy.  Beating the Knicks was supposed to happen for the Rockets, but they weren’t supposed to sweat the contest down the stretch.  Another game that was way too close for Houston, as all of their victories have been since House went back to the G-League.  Hopefully when Chris Paul returns, and eventually Clint Capela, these deficiencies left by House’s absence will be masked.  Otherwise the Rockets will be in trouble when they face elite competition. Splash Gordon has been a lifesaver, finishing with 20-points to go along with that clutch shot late in the game.  Kenneth Faried, in his 2^nd game as a Rocket, finished 3^rd on the team in scoring again, this time with 11 points and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes.  Faried has quietly been a pleasant addition to the roster, and will bolster the bench when the once the squad is at full-health.  Once Paul and Capela come back, Houston’s depth-chart will be maximized, along with any potential trades that may happen before the deadline.

Don’t blink.  You could miss a record-breaking moment from Harden, a game-saving three from Splash Gordon, or even an unexplainable brain-dead play from P.J. Tucker.  And in the blink of an eye, the Rockets go from facing the 2^nd, worst team in the East, to facing the 2^nd best, in the Toronto Raptors.  This will arguably be Houston’s toughest game thus far, with no Chris Paul and Clint Capela, going up against one of the league’s best teams.  Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard has missed the previous 4 games, including resting the last contest to prepare for Harden.  Leonard is one of the game’s best two-way players, with Toronto being one of the deepest teams in the NBA.  They will wreak havoc on the glass and cause a rebounding nightmare for Houston if everyone in red doesn’t crash the boards.  Chris Paul has been upgraded to questionable to play, but I think they will hold him out until Sunday for precautionary reasons.  Capela is certainly out, but one thing’s for sure…  Nothing’s going down unless Harden’s involved, and when the Beard’s playing, the Rockets always have a chance.

 

Harden Leads Rockets into NY, Take on Knicks at the Mecca of Basketball

The Beard’s Coming.   Laughingstock Garden.   Turn Things Around.  

 

“If you build it, he will come.”  An iconic quote from the sports movie Field of Dreams, that’s still considered one of the greatest movies lines to this day.  On Wednesday night, the Rockets ride into the NBA’s version of Field of Dreams, Madison Square Garden aka the Mecca of basketball.  Houston has their own icon playing at the top of his game in James Harden.  Expect something special from the Beard tonight, as the Knicks are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and should pose no threat to Harden’s dynamic offensive-prowess.

The Knicks have quietly become the laughingstock of the NBA.  That title used to belong to the Clippers, but they reached the playoffs and are still overachieving with Doc Rivers at the helm.  James Dolan and poor ownership have driven the Knicks to the lowest depths of the NBA.  They’ve been in rebuilding mode since Carmelo Anthony left, and the Knicks have made little to no progress since.  Their best player, Kristaps Porzingis has been sidelined all season with an injury.  New York’s finest at the moment, comes in the form of Tim Hardaway Jr.  Houston needs to keep an eye on him out on the perimeter to prevent the Knicks’ young star from having a big night.

Over time, Madison Square Garden has been the place where the best players have some of their best moments.  It seems like every great player has scored 50 points in the Garden.  The Beard is on a scoring tear unseen since the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, 50 years ago.  Look for Harden to have a big night and lead the Rockets to a victory after their disappointing outcome in Philly.  Don’t be surprised if the Rockets’ superstar decides to make another statement in his bid for back-to-back MVP’s.  All the ingredients are in store for a very special evening tonight at Madison Square Garden.  Lucky for the Rockets, they have Chef Harden to cook things up the Harden-way.  The Beard’s never had a 50-point game at MSG in his career.  That could change, as New York still houses the place where the world’s most famous arena was built, where players have come for decades to add defining moments to their legacies… and on tonight’s occasion, as the Knicks already know, the Beard’s coming.

Madison Square Garden:  New York City, New York

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (26-20):  “Earned” Red

New York Knicks (10-35):  White

 

TV:  6:30 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet SW

Rockets Get Embarrassed in Philly, Fall Flat Against Sixers, 121-93

Capela Come Back Soon.   Beaten on the Boards.   3/8/19.

They fought hard and admirably, but the shots weren’t falling, as Houston fell in Philly on Monday night to the Sixers, 121-93.  The loss marks one of the Rockets worst of the season.  Jimmy Butler didn’t play for Philadelphia, but it didn’t matter.  This game proved why Clint Capela is crucially important to the Rockets’ system.  Sixers Center Joel Embiid made sure that void was felt as he dominated Houston in the paint and on the glass.  The All-Star had 24 points at halftime, and made it look easy against smaller, hapless Rockets defenders.  Embiid finished with 32 points and 14 boards for Philly, and was the main reason the Sixers pummeled the Rockets.  They had no answers for Embiid on defense, and the big man made his presence felt on Rocket drives to the paint.  During Capela’s absence, it’s in games like Monday’s against Philly, a team with a dominant big man, where Houston’s weaknesses will be exposed the greatest.

Kenneth Faried had a solid debut for the Rockets.  The newest addition to the squad didn’t do anything spectacular for Houston, although he was 3^rd on the team in points, scoring 13 in only 23 minutes of action.  Faried will be resourced in the best manner as a backup Center/Power Forward to Clint Capela, along with playing alongside him when the time calls for bigger lineups.  Embiid, at 7’0, and quite strong, had a huge height advantage over Faried, which resulted in problems for the Rockets.  Nevertheless, it was good to see Faried in action.  The newest Rocket looks like he’s going to bring a lot of energy and grit to the squad when he’s on the floor.

Despite the final score, the game had its moments of chippiness, especially near the end of the first half.  Embiid got away with a few taunting calls on the Beard, and the refs let him mouth off like Draymond Green.  The Rockets have to accept the fact that calls will go against their favor, especially on the road.  Harden didn’t have his best game, but he still managed 37 points, running his 30-point game streak to 20 games.  Although, the Sixers handled the Rockets easily, Chris Paul and Clint Capela didn’t play.  On March 8^th, when the Rockets and Sixers meet again, Paul and Capela should be back in the lineup.  Including Monday’s loss, the Rockets are 7-2 against Philly in their last 9 meetings.  Houston just got overpowered and outmanned by a healthier, albeit talented, team.  Next time, don’t be surprised if the results turn in the Rockets favor.

Rockets Head to the City of Brotherly Love, Mission: Show No Love to the Sixers

The Manimal.   Health Factor.   We Had a Dream.

 

         Houston heads to Philadelphia to take on the Sixers on Monday night, as part of the NBA’s annual busy MLK-Day slate.  The Rockets have lost two in a row to Eastern Conference foes, including 3 out of 4, and look to buck that trend.  Tonight’s contest will not be easy, and is the 1^st of 4 straight against the East.  The Sixers are legitimate title contenders for the Eastern crown and their “Big 3” is one of the NBA’s most talented.  Philly is led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and recently acquired Jimmy Butler to be the veteran presence in their star-studded lineup.  Despite rumors that Butler and the team had problems co-existing, the Sixers have improved since Butler’s arrival.  Philly has won 3 of 4 but are coming off a heartbreaking home-loss to the Thunder in their previous game.  The Rockets have a new face to show off tonight.  Kenneth Faried aka “The Manimal” was recently bought out from the Nets and signed with Houston for the remainder of the year.  Look for Faried to provide instant depth and muscle in a Rockets frontcourt that is one of the league’s weakest with Capela sidelined.  Faried is an excellent rebounder and finisher around the rim.  His outstanding help-defense should give the Rockets a tougher presence in the interior and on the glass.  Houston needs help in the frontcourt, even when Capela is healthy.  Despite having a great season thus far, Nene is older and injury prone, not good attributes for your backup Center.  Faried will add much-needed versatility to a Rockets’ frontcourt that has been desperately outmanned on the boards since Capela’s injury.

Tonight’s matchup could feature many sidelined stars.  Chris Paul and Clint Capela remain out for the Rockets.  Joel Embiid (back) and Jimmy Butler (wrist) are both questionable heading into the matchup.  If they can’t play, Houston will have a lot less to worry about, but regardless, Philly is always a tough place to play.  Tonight’s contest will certainly be a challenge for the Rockets with their health problems remaining a factor, seemingly for the entire season thus far.  Hopefully, Kenneth Faried will be integrated into the lineup seamlessly like Austin Rivers and ex-Rocket, Danuel House Jr.  Kenneth Faried’s skill sets are tailor-made for Houston’s system.  The “Manimal” is a grinder, who hustles and puts his ego aside for the betterment of the team.  I’m very excited that he’s joining the Rockets and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the squad.  Once the team can get Chris Paul and Clint Capela back, Houston will have the deepest team in the league.  Expect the squad to release James Nunnally, who hasn’t been a good fit, to free up a roster spot for Faried.  The Rockets are aggressively trying to trade Carmelo Anthony, with some rumors have him headed for Chicago.  House still has yet to play for the Houston’s G-League affiliate, so there are some hopes the Rockets may be able to cave and get him back.  It still seems more like wishful thinking, or a dream, for House to return.

Today is Martin Luther King Day, a widely celebrated day across the NBA.  The league always has a full slate of games on MLK Day and today is no different.  It also happens to be Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon’s birthday.  The greatest Rocket ever turns 56 today.  Those special Rockets teams in the 90’s had a Dream, in Hakeem.  Houston had the greatest center to ever play the game, based purely on talent, skill, and the competition he faced during his time in the league.  This Rockets team has another dream.  Similar to the one Olajuwon had.  Winning a Championship.  Houston can continue to move towards that dream with a big win over the Sixers tonight.  The Philly crowd will be a raucous atmosphere, and the Rockets need to use their newest asset and work together to gut out a victory over a grinding, talented Philadephia 76ers squad.

 

Wells Fargo Center:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

Jersey Colors:

Houston Rockets (26-19):  “Earned” Red

Philadelphia 76ers (30-17):  Blue

 

TV:  7 PM CT – TNT

 

Rockets Rally Back Behind Harden, EG’s Heroics, Outlast Lakers in OT, 138-134

Splash Gordon Saves the Day.       The Show Goes On.       Deja-Vu?  

          Flash Gordon.  Splash Gordon.  Slash Gordon.  Whatever Gordon you know him by, Eric is back, and Houston couldn’t have used his services at a better time.  The Rockets trailed by as many as 21, but rallied back behind 48 points from the Beard and 30 from Eric Gordon to beat the Lakers in overtime, 138-134.  The deficit was Houston’s largest of the season, but having Gordon in the lineup helped propel them back to victory.  16 of 30 points by Eric Gordon came in the 4^th quarter and overtime, including a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left that tied the contest, and saved the game for Houston.  EG now has 50 points in 2 games since returning from his knee injury.  The Rockets need Splash Gordon to continue his offensive surge while Chris Paul and Clint Capela remain sidelined.  If Gordon doesn’t make that 3-pointer with 2 seconds to go, the Rockets would have lost on Saturday night.  EG has been absolutely huge since coming back and Houston will rely on his ability to make shots in the clutch as the season moves forward.  For the 2^nd consecutive game, Harden and Gordon combined for 78 points.  Although this time, EG took a little more weight off of Harden’s shoulders.  Splash Gordon had 10 more points this game, while the Beard had 10 points less (yet still finished with 48).  Right now, EG is Harden’s right-hand man, and the Rockets will rely on him late in games as they did against the Lakers to help ease some of the burden off of the MVP.

Speaking of the MVP, the James Harden Show continued on Saturday night.  He scored 48 points, to go along with 8 boards, 6 assists, and 4 steals.  The Beard’s assault on NBA-competition doesn’t seem to be coming to a stop any time soon.  Harden secured his 19^th consecutive game scoring 30 or more points.  He can’t be stopped by anyone, and on Saturday night, he had some help from his friends.  Eric Gordon was huge late in the game, and finished with 30 points as Harden’s main assistance for the night.  James Ennis had his best game as a Rocket.  The Menace finished with 18 points in 27 minutes of action. Gerald Green provided another spark off the bench, scoring 17 points, as his consistent play continues.  P.J. Tucker had another off shooting night, but his defense and hustle were some of the best I’ve seen him display all season.  Tucker was all over the floor for loose balls and shut down Kuzma in key spots late in the game.  Nevertheless, the Rockets would not have won this game without the Beard.  James Harden now has 165 points in the last 3 games combined, with NONE of them coming on an assist.  That might be the most mind-blowing stat of all during this streak.  Harden is literally getting every point by himself, while still creating opportunities for teammates, as he’s 4^th in the entire league in assists.  The Beard’s great passing is getting overlooked because he’s been averaging over 40 points a game for a quarter of the season, and is the most unstoppable offensive force the game has ever seen.

This current force of offensive greatness started against the same team (Lakers) in the same building (Toyota Center) on December 13^th.  That game featured the early dunk on McGee by the Beard that sent him and the Rockets on a scoring spree, and they’ve yet to look back.  Except for a few bad losses to the Magic and Nets, teams they should have beaten, the Rockets have been almost unbeatable since December 13th.  Houston has had a bad habit of playing down to its competition at times this season, but hopefully this win over the Lakers will stop this trend.  Something about playing the purple and gold at home seems to have a carryover-effect and brings out the best in Harden and the Rockets.  The squad hopes that’s the case again this time as the schedule gets more difficult with 2 of the next 3 games against Eastern Conference title contenders, in the Sixers and the Raptors.  Optimistically, the Rockets can feel confident about themselves as EG is back playing at a high level, and a new face in Kenneth Faried will help out a thinned front-court, possibly as soon as Monday night, against the Sixers in Philadelphia.  The Rockets are looking for Deja-Vu.  Last time they beat the Lakers, they went on a streak led by the MVP.  This time, they’ll look for the victory to give them a boost during Houston’s upcoming stretch against elite Eastern conference competition.

 

 

Rockets Take on Lakers Looking For Victory

 

New Arrival.   Time to Heat Up.

 

The Rockets take on the Lakers tonight at Toyota Center, looking to get back on the winning track. Kenneth Faried is rumored to have become a Rocket after being bought out by the Nets, and will be a huge addition for Houston.   Faried will be a huge addition but will not play until on Monday night against the Sixers.

Tonight, the James Harden show continues and the Rockets hope to get a victory over a Lakers team coming off a bunch of confidence after a win over the Thunder.

The Rockets will need to Run As One to get the victory tonight.

 

Toyota Center: Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

 

Houston Rockets (25-19): Black

 

Los Angeles Lakers (25-21): Yellow

 

TV: 7:30 PM CT – ABC

Harden’s 58 Not Enough, Rockets Fall in OT Heartbreaker to Nets, 145-142

Voiding the House.   The Little Things.   The Beard Needs Assistance.

        Role player.  A term widely used to discuss players that aren’t stars or household names.  Role players play a valuable role in the little things that make a difference on the court.  It was evident from the opening tip of Wednesday night’s loss to the Nets that something wasn’t right for the Houston Rockets.  Something was different.  Was it the absence of a vital piece to their recent surge at the end of the first half, Danuel House Jr.?  Sometimes it’s as simple as that.  A guy most fans have never heard of.  The little things, the smaller names, can make more impact on the big picture than you could ever believe.  But it happens that way.  Every championship team has at least 2 or 3 of these kind of grinding, sacrifice-everything-for-the-team kind of players, who also fit perfectly in their respective teams offensive/defensive systems.  The Rockets had one in House, and let him go, back to the G-League (rumors don’t sound hopeful of a reunion).  Even if he didn’t show up in many highlights, the Rockets will be affected by his absence drastically in the future.  Don’t be surprised if they take a further dip in the standings.  In the majority of games in Harden’s Streak, House was the 3rd most valuable player on the floor, behind Harden & Capela.  House’s ability to mesh with any unit Coach D’Antoni put on the floor is a skill in its own right, and helped to hide some of the Coach’s weaknesses that are now starting to see the light of day, since the Houstonian product and the team couldn’t come to a contract agreement for the rest of the season.  In their first game without Danuel House, Houston found themselves down by as many as 14 quickly in the first, and 14 in the fourth.  Despite cutting these leads and gaining there own lead over the Nets at the end of regulation and overtime, the Rockets just weren’t the better team on Wednesday night.  The Nets overcame another monster game from James Harden, who had 58 points, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in history to record back-to-back 55-point games.  Brooklyn also overcame Eric Gordon’s return, who scored 20 in his first game back, only to get injured again in the fourth.  P.J. Tucker chipped in with 20 points as well.  The Beard got help, but he didn’t get the right kind of help.  That kind of help Danuel House Jr. provided, on a nightly basis.  The Rockets did all the big things right against the Nets: Harden erupted again, he got help, but Houston lost this game because of their poor defense, lack of hustle, and drop in attention to detail.

Danuel House Jr. was someone who made all the little things happen that go unnoticed if you only check the box score.  House’s absence was sorely felt since the beginning of this deceivingly close contest.  Despite holding leads late in regulation and overtime, the Rockets never seemed to be in control of this game.  The Nets blasted Houston, showing them what teamwork can do over one individual’s (Harden) greatness.  Brooklyn had six different players with at least 14 points.  Spencer Dinwiddie carried the Nets in the fourth and OT, and without House, the Rockets had lapses on defense on 80% of their possessions.  Kind of ironic how on the day before the night which was supposed to be “Get Your Picture with House After the Game Night” (Seriously), the Rockets couldn’t persuade the guy who fit perfectly in their system to stay.  It’s a business, but the Rockets needed to recognize his importance and should have paid the man what he earned and asked for, if they wanted any part of Championship this season.  House is the kind of player who has an immense, yet quiet impact on winning Championships.  Similar to a Steve Kerr on Jordan’s Bulls, Kerr was also a role player.  But he fit perfectly and the team won.  House reminds me of Steve Kerr in a way, even though their styles of play are completely different.  House was a great shooter for the Rockets during his tenure, shooting an effective FG% of 62%, which is insanely efficient, especially for someone who’s majority of shot attempts come from long range.  Houston lost this game because of the little things, sliding over to help on defense (doesn’t show up in the box score), ALWAYS being in the right place spacing-wise on the court (one of the most overlooked aspects of any player’s game), House had these aspects of the game down perfectly.  He truly was a perfect fit, and Houston was one House three-pointer away from at least sending the game to a second overtime.  If they would have made the winning move, and kept him, I don’t think this game would have gone to overtime.  I think the Rockets win by 14 with House in the lineup.  We’ll never know how important he truly was to Houston’s success.  Don’t be surprised if results like the loss to the Nets become more commonplace this season, for a Rockets team who just let go the glue guy to their entire system.  P.J. Tucker can’t do all the intangibles by himself.  There was a reason House was in the top seven net ratios (plus/minus) of duos the Rockets put on the floor.  NOT James Harden.  NOT Clint Capela.  NOT Chris Paul.  Danuel House was the guy in every single of the top seven net ratios of duos the Rockets put on the floor.  His chemistry with Gerald Green was especially unique and the tandem brought a defensive intensity that was contagious to others that was lacking on Wednesday.  The GreenHouse Effect was real and will be sorely missed in Houston.

The Beard needs some help.  Since the Rockets decided to part ways with Danuel House, and Eric Gordon re-injured himself, James Harden needs help.  Desperately.  Now.  Chris Paul, despite reports that he will be back soon, I have a feeling won’t return until after the All-Star break.  Clint Capela is expected to return around the same time.  Hopefully, the Beard can go for 50 every night, and can get some help in the intangibles area of the game.  Help on defense, spacing, hustle, and playing to your respective role as a teammate.  This is something Danuel House did better than any Houston Rocket, including the Beard himself.  The fact that the organization couldn’t recognize his importance to the team’s success is something I find mind-boggling.  I understand it’s a business.  The two sides couldn’t come to an agreement.  If you’re the Houston Rockets front office and owner (Daryl Morey, Tilman Fertita) you have to do whatever is necessary to keep a winner like House.  They decided he wasn’t necessary to be on the roster for the Rockets to win come June.  Look for changes to be made and I expect Houston to beg House to return.  If the Rockets want to Run It Back, this time all the way to a championship, they’ll need their House back.  For the time being, Harden needs some assistance after all of his 115 points over the last two games came un-assisted.  Every.  Single.  Point.  The Beard has been doing everything.  Hopefully assistance will come in the form of a solid role player, or if Rockets fans are lucky… a House.

 

Rockets Host Nets, Look to Give Harden Help

EG Returns?   House Moves.   Welcome to Houston, James.

          The Rockets host the Nets tonight at Toyota Center in Houston, in what should be another matchup which requires the Beard to do some heavy lifting.  Houston won the previous meeting between the teams back in early November, but times were different then.  Brooklyn is a much better team and in playoff contention in the East.  Eric Gordon is questionable to return tonight, and his presence will give Harden and the Rockets a huge boost if he’s able to go.

Someone I didn’t want to see go, Danuel House Jr., was sent back to the G-League, after the two-sides couldn’t come to terms on a contract agreement.  Hosue has been instrumental is carrying the hustle and dirty-work portion of the action for Houston, along with P.J. Tucker.  House will be sorely missed.  A move I simply cannot understand.  If the Rockets wanted to win they would have paid the man.  He more than earned a roster spot.  Others feel differently, and it’s time to move on.  The Rockets welcome James Nunnally to Houston, on a 10-day contract, to fill up House’s void (or, at least try to).  Nunnally last played for the Wolves in Minnesota, hopefully he will be the perfect fit, a la Danuel House.  The Rockets are going to feel his absence on the court, starting tonight.  Don’t be surprised if the squad as a whole starts trending downward.  House was a huge difference-maker on both ends of the floor.   The Rockets are 16-9 when he plays.  And 9-9 when House doesn’t.

The Rockets should have enough to beat the Nets, a team that is improving yet still young, if Houston plays down to their competition, it will result in a loss.  Hopefully, the Beard can get some help on the floor tonight and the Rockets can put it all together for a win as they try and keep pace in the Western Conference standings.

 

Toyota Center: Houston, Texas

 

Jersey Colors:

Brooklyn Nets (22-23): White

Houston Rockets (25-18): Red

 

TV:  7 PM CT – ATT Sportsnet SW

Houston Rockets 2018/2019 Midway Point Season Review

First Half Brought Lows, Experiments, and… a Resurgence We’ve Never Seen

The Dunk.   The Game.   The Goal.

 

The Rockets got off to a shaky start in 2018. They got blown out by the Pelicans on Opening Night, and had trouble adjusting to Carmelo Anthony and an early-season ‘hangover.’ Houston started 1-5, and 11-14, before finally turning things around, winning 13 of their last 16 games to enter the second half of the season with a record of 24-17. How did things get turned around? Despite the injuries have really mounted almost every player on the roster this season. James Harden. That’s how. Playing the best basketball of his life. The first half amounted to experimenting with different rotations and new additions, dealing with injuries, and a sudden rejuvenation in play by James Harden. Carmelo Anthony took the court during the first 10 games, which didn’t work. Nothing against Melo, it just wasn’t a good fit for either party, and the Rockets went 4-6 in games Anthony played. Chris Paul, Eric Gordon, James Ennis, have all battled constant injuries it seems the entire first half. Houston has yet to play a game in which its entire roster is healthy. Injuries happen, but they just seem to swarm the Rockets like a plague. The injury bug is real and something Houston will be fighting against this season and beyond.

On December 11^th, Houston stood at 11-14, and trailed at halftime to Portland. They were able to overcome the deficit, and improve to 12-14 in what would be the start of a turning point. The turn happened in the Rockets next game. December 13^th, against the Lakers. LeBron’s first game donning the purple and gold in James Harden’s House. The matchup was a big one for both teams prior to tip, but no one could sense the storm that was about to come. Except for the Beard. LeBron James hit two fade-away jumpers to start the game in what looked like another disappointing Rockets loss, in a season full of then. All of a sudden, it happened. James Harden dunked on JaVale McGee and the rest is history. The Beard turned and flexed in the direction of LBJ, as if to tell him, “I’m the real King James” and finished the game with a 50-point triple-double. The first game of his 30-point streak, that Harden is still managing to keep alive.

The Rockets haven’t looked back since. Harden had arguably the defining game of his career, with the Rockets victory over the Warriors on Jan. 3^rd. The Beard’s impossible 3 over two of the leagues best defenders (Draymond Green, Klay Thompson) was a sight to behold. The game felt like a statement game. Harden was able to beat the Warriors by himself. It should be interesting to see what happens when the Houston gets back to full health.

Houston finished the first half 13-3, after starting a dismal 1-5, and then 11-14. The Rockets seamlessly blended several key new acquisitions into the system. Danuel House Jr., who’s been tremendous and earned his spot in the rotation for the season. Austin Rivers, who has also been awesome and a lifesaver for the team since Chris Paul went down. Gary Clark has been a key rookie who’s showed plenty of promise since being picked up by the Rockets after going undrafted. Houston’s already hit rock bottom, and seen more adversity than all of last season. This will only make them better in the future once (if) the roster can ever play together completely healthy. All the adjusting and rough sailing should be finished for this team’s expected destination. If the Rockets can somehow avoid the injury bug come playoff time, this team has the potential to accomplish even greater things than last year’s squad. Last year’s team set the regular season franchise record with 65 wins. The only way this year’s team can top that is by bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Houston. Larry, we await with open arms. Come home. After 24 years, it’s finally time.