Rockets Play Down to Competition, Lack Focus, Fall to Magic, 106-99
Toying Around. Another One Bites the Dust. Harden Hero Ball.
Houston sailed into Orlando, home to the happiest place on Earth, Disneyworld, feeling pretty good about themselves after a recent blowout-win over the Cavs. The Rockets had managed a difficult stretch with key players out and finished the first half 13-3, after starting the season 1-5. Houston looked to start the second half of the season better than the first, with a visit to Amway Center. However unimpressive their record might be, the Orlando Magic are no joke. And they proved that last night. For the majority of the contest, the Rockets toyed around with the Magic just to see how close they could keep the game. Soon enough, Houston’s lack of focus instilled confidence in Orlando, and bolstered the Magic to a comeback victory on Sunday night, 106-99, over a Rockets team left scratching their heads. Houston let this one go. A game they definitely should have won over inferior competition, the Rockets also controlled the pace for much of the matchup, and held the lead for the majority of it, until they collapsed mid-fourth quarter.
Despite having a record of now 19-24, the Magic are still a team of professionals, like any squad in the NBA. If you toy around and play down to your competition, in many situations, it will come back to bite you. That’s pretty much what happened on Sunday night in Orlando. The Rockets wasted Austin Rivers’ best game as a Rocket, and Harden was both historically great and awful. Rivers’ finished with a season-high 25 points, and was the lone bright spot for much of the game, besides Danuel House, who had another efficient outing, with 14 points and great defense. The Beard scored 38 points, along with 9 boards and 12 assists, and tied Kobe Bryant for the longest streak of consecutive game scoring 30 or more points, with 16 straight. However, this was not Harden’s night shooting the basketball. Usually, Harden Hero Ball has worked this season for Houston, but not last night. The Beard went 1 for 17 from long range. Harden missed a staggering 16 attempts from the promise land, but had no trouble getting to the line, hence the 38 points. The Beard should have driven the ball to the basket more instead of settling from distance on a night when his shot from deep was not falling.
Clint Capela had a solid, but less than spectacular game, with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Unfortunately, Clint injured his right thumb in the contest, and will miss tonight’s matchup. What’s even more devastating is Capela will miss the next 4-6 weeks. Hopefully the Rockets can dodge another bullet, and keep pace in the West standings with arguably their second most-important player down. Houston needs their big man to get healthy as quickly as possible. Capela has been a key piece to the Rockets’ recent resurgence in the standings. Harden and Capela’s pick and roll is one of the deadliest arsenals in Houston’s offense, and arguably unstoppable, especially when the Beard’s shot is falling. Capela’s absence removes this key part of the Rockets and Harden’s game, forcing them to result to other options. Houston will have to adjust properly with another man down, as they play a Grizzlies team next that always plays hard, and has their own star big man in veteran Marc Gasol.
The Rockets will rely on Harden and his version of “Hero-Ball” more than ever in this game. Clint Capela is out, along with Chris Paul and Eric Gordon. Houston needs more players to step up and give the Beard some help. Rivers, House, Tucker, Green, and Ennis will all get added playing time in Capela’s absence. Clark, and even Isaiah Hartenstein, just called up from the G-League, will see more time as well. The Rockets are thin at the 5-position, so Capela’s injury hurts arguably even more than Paul or Gordon’s. Houston needs the Beard to be back on his game and hitting that step-back 3 or the Rockets could find themselves in trouble in the near future. Up next, the Memphis Grizzlies come to town Monday night. This will be a great first test for a depleted Rockets team in terms of how they can manage without Capela. Memphis sits in the 14th spot in the crowded West standings, yet are only 3 games out of playoff contention. The Grizzlies will be a tough out for the Rockets, without Capela. Marc Gasol is one of the best big men in the league and is a skilled veteran who, along with Mike Conley, lead this Memphis team to play hard every night. The Rockets will need Harden’s Hero Ball to be working, and everyone else needs to step up in order to quickly right the ship.