Rockets Crush Clippers, 135-103, Sail to Fourth Straight Win
Don’t Matter. Dynamic Duo. Ready to Launch.
“If we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, nobody can beat us. Anybody, don’t matter,” P.J. Tucker stated after the Rockets monstrous, 135-103, win over the Clippers on Wednesday night. Houston did what they were supposed to do. The Rockets jumped on the Clips early, and never looked back. In a game that featured the league’s hottest teams, the Rockets took all of the Clippers’ fire and confidence out of Staples Center. Los Angeles has overachieved this year, but Houston has finally ridden itself of all the problems that were plaguing the team earlier this season. The Clippers may be playing solid basketball, but they aren’t contenders. The Rockets proved that on Wednesday. They made sure the game was never close, and made the Clippers look like the team most expected L.A. to be, before the season began. James Harden led the way with 31 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds. However, it was Chris Paul, who had the game of the night. CP3 had his best game against L.A. since joining Houston, scoring 29 points in only 27 minutes, pacing the Rockets to a blowout win. Houston is starting to find a rhythm at the right time, where the playoffs sit only a mere eight days away. People are starting to realize, at least those playing close attention. These Rockets have even more upside than the squad that won a franchise-record 65-games last season.
Houston isn’t just a one-headed monster anymore. There never were. They were only forced into that situation. The injuries forced Harden to do, literally, almost everything on the court. And he did, carrying the Rockets from the fourteenth seed to the third seed. The fact that there’s still a debate as to who should win MVP, is an insult not only to James Harden, but to the entire NBA, and the game of basketball itself. Now that Houston is finally healthy, the Rockets are steamrolling into the NBA’s second season. Many won’t agree, but the Houston still has the most dynamic duo in basketball, in Harden and Paul. The two superstars combined for 60 points, and are playing the best ball since Paul arrived in Houston before last season. The Rockets, however, can’t control the elephant in the room (CP3’s health). As for now, he looks spry and durable, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the Point God take a game off for rest before the playoffs.
Houston’s next two games are against the worst in the East and the worst in the West. Right now, Harden and co. are playing the best basketball in the NBA. They’re back to being the team no one wants to admit, but everyone thinks can beat the Warriors. The Rockets should blow both these teams out of Toyota Center, and CP3 shouldn’t have to take on a heavy workload. Then it’s onto Oklahoma City to face the Thunder to cap off the regular season. OKC will be more of a challenge, but at this point, the Rockets don’t care. They’re ready to launch. The worst thunderstorms can’t stop this team’s trajectory. Houston is in position to get at least the 3-seed if they win out their remaining 3 games. The second seed is still within grasp. But, the Rockets just want the playoffs to start. As to who they’ll play, as Tucker said, it really don’t matter.