Rockets Steamroll Blazers, 132-108, Make it 8 in a Row
Action Figures. Three-Headed Monster. Beautiful Machine.
Before arriving in Houston this year, Russell Westbrook played the first eleven seasons of his career in Oklahoma City. And never once, did the superstar get his own bobblehead. On Rockets Postgame, Calvin Murphy asked, “what were they thinking?” Monday night, that finally changed, as Russell Westbrook bobblehead night took place at Toyota Center. Oh, the beloved bobblehead. It’s not real validation, in terms of achieving anything significant, but the toy usually signifies you’re recognized by many as great at what you do. In sports, I’d guesstimate 90% of players with their own bobbleheads have been All-Stars, or established players in some form. Not everyone gets their own action figure. Last night, Westbrook finally got recognized as bobblehead-worthy. In celebration, Brodie and the Rockets blasted the Blazers, 132-108, for their 8th win in a row. Westbrook had another triple double, finishing with 28 points, 13 boards, and 10 dimes. Portland led after one quarter, but Houston blew the game open in the second period, and this contest was never close. It’s time to recognize the way Westbrook has transformed this team. The Rockets will only go as far as the Beard grows, but Westbrook drastically changes the pace for Houston. In effect, it creates more offensive possessions for one of the deadliest offensive teams of all time. Brodie plays like someone who needs an action figure. Westbrook is everywhere, sometimes seemingly everywhere at once, on both ends of the court. These triple doubles aren’t a coincidence. An action figure is defined as a doll, or in this case a bobblehead, representing a person known for vigorous action. No one’s action on the court is more vigorous than Russell Westbrook’s. Not just on Houston’s roster, but in the entire league.
James Harden had an efficient 36 points on a solid shooting night. Although still leading the way in scoring for the Rockets, the Beard didn’t need to carry as much of the offensive weight, with the return of Clint Capela and Danuel House. And yes, 36 points on 58% shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep, brings Harden’s scoring average down. Not even the Michael Jeffrey Jordan would 36 and see his scoring average drop. James Harden is in a league all his own. These Classic Average Nights are starting to become ridiculous. After missing two games with a concussion, Capela wasted no time crashing the party. Houston’s big man continues to be dominant on the glass. On Monday, Capela recorded 22 points, another 20 rebounds, and 4 blocks. It’s the Big Swiss’ fourth consecutive 20-rebound game. A feat not even the great Hakeem Olajuwon or Moses Malone ever accomplished. Capela is finally resembling the player who looked like an All-Star before his injury last season. And as he joins the party that’s looking like the NBA’s best team, the league has a Three-Headed Monster on their hands: James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Clint Capela: the best trio in basketball. Danuel House’s return was an efficient one, as has become the norm for the Houstonian. House had 11 points, including 50% shooting from three, 6 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals. P.J. Tucker had 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, and Isaish Hartenstein continues to slowly blossom. Hustlestein only saw 13 minutes of action, but scored 9 points, and continues to gain the trust of Houston Coach Mike D’Antoni with each performance. And the suddenly beloved fan-favorite, Austin Rivers, continues to quietly play the best perimeter defense in the NBA. Rivers is locking up opposing All-Star point guards night-after-night. Don’t believe me? Look at the stats. Over the last 5 games, when Rivers guarded one of the opponents top guards, in this case: Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Jeff Teague, Lou Williams, or Justin Holiday, they shot a combined 2-for-17 from the field. That’s putting the clamps on defensively. Austin Rivers has quietly been extremely efficient and productive season for Houston this season off the bench. He fits in perfectly in D’Antoni’s system, and is one of the main contributors to why the Rockets defense has improved vastly since their 3-3 start. Houston isn’t on this 8-game winning streak without him. And with everyone but Eric Gordon back, this Houston Rockets team is beginning to resemble a beautiful machine. Everyone working in place, functioning as a unit, as the squad continues to learn on the move. Such a unique, special, beautiful machine. We won’t know to what degree for months to come. And this June, I truly believe the Rockets are going to win the NBA championship. You might ask, “what am I thinking?” I know It’s a long way to go until we get to the playoffs. But if Houston keeps playing this way, Westbrook will have something more than his own bobblehead after this season. Real validation.