Rockets vs. Heat Post-Game 12/20/18

Rockets Can’t Catch a Break Amidst the Heat,  Lose CP3 to Injury, Comeback-Bid Falls Short in Miami,  101-99

The Injury Bug Returns.  Those White Jerseys.  Can’t Stop Him Now.

The Rockets just can’t catch a break.  Houston said goodbye to Trevor Ariza on Wednesday night with a fitting video tribute, in a game where the Rockets set an NBA record, and persuaded much of Red Nation that, maybe, his loss wasn’t as detrimental to the team’s success as many will still admit.  Last night in Miami, the Rockets lost a nail biting, heartbreaker of a game on a missed Eric Gordon 3-point attempt (which was wide open) that would have given Houston a one-point victory, and their 6^th in a row.   Instead they fell short in South Beach as the Heat out-hustled (particularly on the offensive glass) the Rockets on their way to handing the squad a gut-punching 101-99 loss.  The Rockets started right where they left off the previous night, red-hot from deep to give Houston a 12-point first quarter edge.  As the second quarter rolled around, Miami brought more heat on the offensive end of the floor, and cut the lead to 8.  But the Rockets were still in control of the game.  Carrying the tactics with them that got them into full gear on their 5-game winning streak.  Until they got bit.  Again.  By the injury bug.  Chris Paul suffered yet another hamstring injury, in a storied career who’s ceiling has always been road-blocked by injuries.  No word yet has been announced on the severity of the injury, or CP3’s status for the future, but it didn’t look good.  Paul went immediately to the bench after gripping his left hamstring.  He was out of the locker room before the game ended, and the Rockets can only hope his injury isn’t as bad as it looks.  When asked about the injury after the game, Coach Mike D’Antoni said, “it’ll be some time.”  In other words, Paul’s going to miss a minimum of at least a few weeks.  Which is not good news for the Rockets. They’re currently 0-5 this season in games Chris Paul doesn’t play, and his injury last year is the reason the Houston Rockets don’t sport the title as reigning champs of the NBA this year.  And it couldn’t have come at a worse time, as Houston’s next 5 games are a brutal stretch against some of the league’s toughest opponent, including the Celtics, Thunder, and Pelicans.  Maybe it’s just me.  But the Rockets seem to have suffered the most DNP’s courtesy of the injury bug more than any other Championship contender in the 21^st century.  Look back at the T-Mac and Yao era.  Tracy McGrady had his share of injuries.  Yao Ming’s 7’6 frame put him at a disadvantage. His towering height and lankiness are traits seen in big men who have histories of recurring injuries.  Yao was absent for the majority of Houston’s franchise record 22-game winning streak, and was frequently injured early in playoff series throughout his career.  Last year, Luc M’bah Moute was never the same after his shoulder injury.  And of course, Chris Paul suffered another setback that will likely keep him on the sidelines for a while.  Harden’s one of the most durable players on Earth, but the bug has bitten even James himself, as he missed a few games early this season due to injury.  James Ennis has been injured for the majority of the season.  Eric Gordon’s missed time, and been in and out of the starting lineup, both factors undoubtedly affecting his poor shooting, as he struggles to find a rhythm, as he’s yanked in and out of the lineup due to the constant injuries.  Gerald Green’s missed time due to multiple injuries.  Thank God for Danuel House, who seems capable to carry a similar level of durability as James Harden, and House has been a revelation for the Houston’s bench.  Speaking of the bench.  Next man up.  James Harden’s been up all season.  He’s never been higher than he is now, playing at the peak of his athletic prowess while putting the league on notice.  Now he has a chance to put the history of the game of notice.  CP3 will be out for, at the very least, a minimum of 3 weeks (also wishful thinking) .  The Beard has another great opportunity, to silence more of the haters.  The (seemingly) millions who actually focus on his “flopping”, when he’s actually just skilled at duping the officials, (a real skill, indeed, one Harden’s the best at). Harden’s got a chance to move his legacy from superstardom to legendary.  Stars are fun and popular to watch.  But stars who win titles (aka legends)?  They’re remembered forever in the NBA history books.  Not that the Beard hasn’t broken enough records this season, but if he can somehow keep the Rockets afloat while Paul recovers from his injury, he should, without a doubt, win his second consecutive MVP award (although the voting is biased, especially towards the year’s previous winner) and legitimately earn the title of greatest offensive player in NBA history.  The Beard’s been on a torrid onslaught, but the Rockets can’t depend on him to do this the entire season.  Eric Gordon, Gerald Green, and others need to step up and fill the void left by Paul.  So, what’s up with these white jerseys?  The Rockets are now 2-6 when they wear the white jerseys, and 0-6 in white since Carmelo Anthony left.  It’s just a coincidence, but the Rockets need all the help they can get right now.  They obviously play better in red or black.  But for now, Houston must rely on Harden to do what the Beard does best: score at will.  On any player.  Any time.  The way the Beard’s been playing, along with Paul’s recurrent injury, make this an opportunistic season for James Harden to prove he’s truly one of the greatest players of all-time.  If he can lead these beat-up Rockets to one of the higher seeds in the playoffs, it’ll swing voter bias and make it hard for them not to appreciate his value and what he does for the Rockets.  But some (a lot) of people love to hate James Harden.  Hate stems from jealousy.   Opposing players, teams, and fans are all jealous that the Beard is dominating the NBA, all the while making other teams look foolish trying to stop him.  The Rockets can’t afford him to stop now.  Chris Paul’s injury is only going to shoulder more of the load that Harden is already bearing.  The NBA’s reigning MVP and the best player in the world at the moment, will have to do even more than his current production rate for the squad to get back to form in a season that’s seemed (not fair) due to all the injuries, officiating, etc.  But life’s not fair.  At times, neither is the game of basketball.  But when you have what Harden has: innate, natural talent, with the ability to do things few other humans can, you do what you have to do.  Even if that means winning the MVP award in consecutive seasons.  Just do it.

Up next, on Saturday night the Rockets hope to blow the Spurs out of Toyota Center this time, after silencing the silver and black crowd the last time these two Texas foes met. Houston can’t afford to fall back to .500 on the season in the crowded West, especially without Chris Paul on the hardwood for the foreseeable future. It’s all hands on deck for the Rockets. Everyone has to and will have the opportunity to contribute more due to CP3’s injury. Houston’s second unit needs to take advantage of these opportunities to earn more playing time when (or, I should I say, if) the team is ever at full-strength. James Harden needs some help, and the Rockets need to prove their depth is real. That they’re more than just a bearded legend.