Wall, Wood, Help Rockets Banish Kings, 102-94, as Houston Sweeps Two-Game Series
Sudden Impact. Most Improved Player. Second Half Lockup.
“You’re a legend in your own mind,” Clint Eastwood says in the classic film from the Dirty Harry series, Sudden Impact. John Wall was trying to tell us he was back to playing at a level only legends can imagine. He said he felt better than he’s ever felt. Questions arose about whether the injury-riddled Wall would be able to stay healthy, if he had lost his explosiveness. On Saturday night, John Wall put those questions to rest, and led the Rockets with 28 points and 6 assists, en route to a 102-94 Houston victory over Sacramento. An injury could always happen at any time, but for now, John Wall looks like an All-Star in his prime. he’s only 30 years old, and still has a few years left to potentially play at a superstar-level. His defense and scrappiness looked as good as it’s ever been. Maybe I didn’t watch enough of his games in Washington, but the Rockets are getting a sleeker, stronger, hungrier version of John Wall. He became the first player since Michael Jordan to score 50 or more points in his first two games back after not playing for over two years. If Wall keeps up this level of play, the Rockets will be a title contender at full-strength. James Harden was a late scratch Saturday, after he rolled at the end of Thursday night’s game. It’s nothing serious, but the Beard is questionable for Monday’s game against Dallas.
As for Saturday night’s game, the Kings kept it close, but the Rockets stifling second-half defense shut down Sac-Town’s hopes of winning one of their two games in Houston. Wall and the Rockets allowed the Kings to score 36 points in the first quarter, and 64 points at halftime. But Houston buckled down after the break, and only allowed 30 points in the second half. Christian Wood continues to be a revelation. Wood had 20 points, grabbed a monstrous 15 rebounds, and blocked 4 shots, dominating the paint for the Rockets. Wood is the early front-runner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player. And if he keeps playing at this level, Wood could even get an All-Star nod. Eric Gordon had 21 points in his second game back, and provided Houston with a secondary ball-handler behind Wall who attacked the basket and created shots for others. Splash Gordon, inconsistent as a Rocket, has looked good out of the gates so far this season. Hopefully EG consistently plays at this level, back to when he was considered an All-Star caliber player. Gordon did have a 50-point game last year. This man can play, but with EG, it’s all about his consistency. And getting the late notice he would be starting (in place of Harden), didn’t effect his play he brings as the Rockets ultimate Sixth Man. Sterling Brown got the most minutes off the bench for Houston on Saturday, and has shown he’s a natural three-point shooter. Brown scored 11 points, on 3-of-5 shooting from downtown. In addition to Jae’Sean Tate, and David Nwaba, Brown is another excellent new addition of the Rockets bench that provides Houston with depth most teams in the league can’t fathom.
Before the game, the Beard took part in an early shoot-around, but the ankle was bothering him, so Harden decided to sit Saturday night out. The Rockets can’t afford an injury to their best player, and Harden wants to be able to play. Now whether thats to continue to lead this Rockets team to the highest goal possible, or to show his value on the court exceeds anything he does off it, fulfilling his past wishes to be traded elsewhere. We should know soon enough. Harden has been as good as Houston could have hoped to start the season, and the new additions are showing this Rockets team is for real, with or without Harden. Houston’s a surefire playoff team in the West regardless. John Wall showed that last night, as long as he’s around, this Rockets team will make the playoffs. It’s Harden’s mindset to buy-in that will determine whether Houston is just playoff fodder, or serious contenders for the title. With a smooth rookie coach in Stephen Silas, who should be getting Coach of the Year recognition for handling all the drama in Houston with such subtle panache, the Rockets are in position to put all the pieces together. Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the franchise since being hired, Silas has implemented a system that caters to a bunch of guys who haven’t played together. Last night, they showed they’re still a dangerous team with their best player on the bench. If Harden can come back to a Houston-State-of-Mind, and embrace this newfound opportunity, similar to the way Wall and Wood have taken the reigns of their roles, the Rockets are going to be a problem for the rest of their league. Hopefully in the Beard’s mind, Houston’s legend finally realizes this is his best shot at winning at a title. With this team, in this city. The Rockets’ newest point-guard isn’t on James Harden’s level in terms of career accomplishments, but John Wall is back to playing his game, plus… he’s always been a legend in his own mind.