Rockets Keep Warriors at Bay Without Harden, 118-112
Passing Through. A Good Problem. Statement Victory.
Nothing is impossible. Even beating the defending Champs. Without the MVP. In their house. No Harden, no problem for Houston. Chris Paul guided the Rockets to victory over the Champs on Saturday night, 118-112. The win gives Houston a 3-0 lead in the season series over Golden State. The Rockets led got off to a hot start on both ends. Houston led 15-0 and by as many as 20 in the first half. The Warriors would come back to reclaim the lead, but this time Houston had a counterpunch. Chris Paul had his best game of the season and was masterful as controlling the tempo in this contest. The Point God sliced and diced his way through the Warriors defense en route to 23 points and 17 assists. Paul looked like he hadn’t lost a step, and put on his best show since returning from injury.
In a matchup no one expected the Rockets to win, they struck first, and made sure the Warriors could never get enough momentum to take control of the game. P.J. Tucker had his best game of the season. The heart and soul of Houston’s hustle found his shooting rhythm and had a typically stout defensive night for the Rockets. Tucker finished with 18 points and 10 boards to go along with the usual grit and grind. Kenneth Faried had another double-double in a solid performance, with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Manimal has shown he’s more than just a complimentary fit next to Clint Capela. Houston’s big lineup has worked wonders in the limited time they’ve seen the court so far this season. Eric Gordon played the role of top scorer, notching 25 for the Rockets, as his ability to make plays and isolate off the dribble helped fill the void left by Harden’s absence.
Last night was Houston’s best team-win of the season. Everyone got involved in the offense and had at least 6 points. The Rockets have a good problem on their hands. It was refreshing to see more ball movement that inevitably comes with Harden’s absence. However, Harden in isolation is one of Houston’s most-efficient plays. The Beard can get a shot for himself or others anytime he wants. Dominating the ball takes teammates out of a rhythm, and is one of the reasons it seems like no one besides Harden can get in a shooting groove longer than 3 games. Houston needs to find an even balance, the best of both worlds. The Rockets are SO much more effective defensively when everyone is involved on the offensive end.
Saturday night’s win proved the Rockets can beat anyone on any given night, and also highlighted the biggest issue with the squad this season. Houston is the only team in the NBA with a better record against winning teams compared to losing teams. Only in a season like this would Houston get a statement win two days after falling apart, in one of their most devastating losses in L.A. The Rockets get up to play for the biggest opponents, but have a problem brining this intensity to other matchups. Houston returns home on Monday night, where this problem will be once again put to the test. The Rockets host the lowly Atlanta Hawks in a game they should easily win. If Houston doesn’t come ready to play on Monday they could be in for another disappointing performance in a potential trap game. This season has proved that anything can happen and nothing is impossible.