Rockets Aim to Rebound Against Pelicans
All Due Respect. Everything. Number One.
“All due respect, you got no f*****g idea what it’s like to be Number One. Every decision you make affects every facet of every other f*****g thing. It’s too much to deal with almost. And in the end you’re completely alone with it all,” Tony Soprano says near the end of HBO’s legendary series. A man with the ego and vanity comparable to that of James Harden and Russell Westbrook. If Houston’s superstar backcourt can’t learn to coexist, the Rockets have no chance of being the league’s number one team. Harden could score 50 points in every game until he retired. Westbrook could get a triple-double in every game for the rest of his career. It wouldn’t matter. If Houston’s superstar backcourt can’t bring the city a title, they’ll never be remembered like the greatest players of all time. Anyone can score in this league. But to be number one? In this league? That’s too much to deal with for most players. Winning championships doesn’t mean something… it means everything. And for the majority of guys in the league, everything is just too much to deal with. The good news for the Rockets is Harden and Westbrook have known each other for years, and their argument gone viral late in Thursday’s loss is likely just a necessary exchange between heated competitors, trying to get on the same page during their first game. Or, at least that’s what it had to be. If Houston has any change of reigning supreme as the NBA’s number one team, Harden and Westbrook have to profit from each other on the court. They have to realize what’s at stake. They owe it to themselves. All due respect, but it’s not every year you get a legitimate shot to win it all. In this league those chances are few and far between. If Brodie and the Beard can’t merge their styles of play into a winning formula, they’ll be all alone at the end of their careers. All those individual stats and accolades attached to their names… with no jewelry to show for it. Just ask the legends who once took the hardwood: in the end, the numbers don’t matter… it’s all about the rings. It’s a long season, but the Rockets’ superstar duo needs to realize their shared goal, and focus on winning.
After their collapse in game number one to the Bucks, Houston looks to get in the win column against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. The team with the number one pick in the draft is no joke, despite their 0-2 record. New Orleans’ first two losses came in nail-biters that went down the stretch. Zion Williamson, the highly touted Pelicans phenom who went number one in the NBA draft, won’t be playing tonight. Zion is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with an injury he suffered in the preseason. New Orleans still poses a formidable test for the Rockets. This is a game Houston needs to win, in order to shoot expectations back into gear. The Pelicans boast many former assets from the Anthony Davis deal. Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart have been solid role pieces for New Orleans. Brandon Ingram has been exceptional in the early start, blossoming into his potential as an All-Star. Jrue Holiday is still arguably the Pelicans best player, running the point. The Rockets defense will focus on Ingram and Holiday, but New Orleans has had five players in double figures in each of their games this season. The Pelicans pose an all-around threat. If Houston returns to the unfortunate habit of playing down to their competition, the Rockets could be in trouble tonight. Luckily for Houston, the Rockets are the more rested team tonight. New Orleans lost a close game in Dallas on Friday night. Rest shouldn’t matter anyways. This Houston team is too talented and motivated to drop their first two games at home this season.
Despite their previous loss to the Bucks, the Rockets had a 16-point lead at halftime, and looked poised for a great win over one of the East’s best. The Rockets collapsed, but it’s the first game in a new era. And it’s not like Houston hosted the NBA’s bottom feeders. Give the Bucks credit. They’re a really good team. They’ll be playing into late-May. They rallied and gutted out a victory on the road (despite some very questionable late calls). Still, it’s no excuse for letting a 16-point lead slip away. Especially considering that last year’s MVP fouled out before crunch time. Hopefully the Rockets have learned from Thursday night’s letdown, and will bounce back against the Pelicans on Saturday night. It’s time that Houston fans see the Rockets perform to their potential. Each NBA season is an epic journey for the league’s contenders. Starting tonight, Houston can get their own journey back on trajectory. And show the league why they’re a title threat. They can handle the pressure… it’s not too much to deal with. It’s time the Rockets put Houston on the map as contenders for the league’s ultimate title: number one.
Toyota Center: Houston, Texas
Jersey Colors:
New Orleans Pelicans (0-2): Red
Houston Rockets (0-1): White
TV: 7:00 PM CT – AT&T Sportsnet SW