The Beard’s 50-Point Triple-Double Sails Rockets Past LeBron, Lakers, 126-111
Fashion is a pivotal aspect of modern NBA culture. It’s a league where players don anything from suits, to something Russell Westbrook made for himself on the way to a game. James Harden showed up at Toyota Center on Thursday night in a snake-skinned suit/short combination. One doesn’t wear an outfit of that measure unless they plan on making a confident assertion. The Beard’s proclamation came just three minutes into the game, after Houston fell behind to start, 4-0, courtesy of two buckets from LeBron James. LeBron had his share of buckets on Thursday. But some buckets mean a little more than others. And Harden’s first bucket of the night, was literally that, mean, close to the point of being disrespectful, all out of necessity. The MVP zipped past Lonzo Ball with ease, en route to putting JaVale McGee on a poster that might still be around when we’re all dead, sending him spiraling to the floor after (arguably) the dunk of the year. Harden’s vicious dunk wasn’t followed by his typical act. One where the Beard pretends he gets up so high, as if he just gave himself an accidental nosebleed. This time, Harden knew he had to send a message, and a dunk was followed by a sense of purpose. He viscerally flexed his muscles and growled in the direction of the “other” James as he put the world’s best player and the league on notice: the Rockets are back. Or at least, when the moment is shining brightest this season, the Beard isn’t going to let H-Town down. The Rockets are now 4-0 against: the face of the league, the best team in the NBA, and the 1-seed in the brutal Western Conference (LeBron James, the Golden State Warriors, and the Denver Nuggets respectively). Harden recorded a 50-point triple-double that included 10 boards and 11 assists. The “King James” of this matchup was certainly Harden, as he fueled Houston past the Lakers, 126-111, on Thursday night to give the squad its second straight win. LeBron James, aka The Man with a Spotlight on Him 24-7, had a slightly below average game himself (thank you, P.J. Tucker), considering his lofty expectations. LeBron James finished with 29 points, but only had 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. In a matchup with ooh’s and ahh’s galore, Houston prevailed, and left the Lakers complaining about calls. Although, refereeing was questionable on both sides. Rockets center Nene was handed two technical fouls over debatable calls, and ejected from the game in the third quarter, all in the span of less than a minute. Most importantly, the Rockets proved that when they play when the lights are brightest, they can beat anyone on any night. And when James Harden is “Bearding”, like he was Thursday night, setting an NBA-mark by recording his fourth 50-point triple-double, the Rockets are unbeatable. The Beard got most of the attention, and deservedly so, but the squad’s rotation looks like it’s finally clicking at the right time (despite the absence of James Ennis III). Clint Capela continued his All-Star bid, scoring 16 points, to go along with 14 rebounds. Chris Paul chipped in with 14 points, while dishing out 9 dimes. The ever-impressive Danuel House, the in-season pickup of the year so far for Houston, by far, contributed another efficient performance for the squad, adding 15 points and great defense in a season-high 29 minutes. Eric Gordon had 13 points, and P.J. Tucker contained LeBron James with another stellar defensive effort in a career full of them. The spotlight won’t be as bright for Houston’s next matchup. The Rockets travel to Memphis for their next game on Saturday night against the Grizzlies. Houston will need to grind out a complete team effort if they want to beat a gritty, tough Grizzlies team, on the road. The Rockets season has been filled with ups and downs. Harden’s dunk, and the Rockets’ win, may have been just another dunk, and another game, in one of the more unpredictable seasons of the franchise’s history. If Harden and company play with the energy they brought to the floor on Thursday, that dunk could be the play that turns the season around. It certainly felt like one of those “season-defining” moments. We’ll find out if that’s the case Saturday night. The Grizzlies are coming off a disappointing loss to the Miami Heat at home on Friday night, and will be facing the Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back. Houston will be more rested and should have more fuel in the tank. The Rockets don’t need another 50-point performance from the Beard to win. If they “Run as One”, it’ll be enough at the Grindhouse in Memphis, for the Rockets to gut-out another much-needed victory.