Rockets Set Dazzling 3-Point Record, Zoom By Wizards 136-118
The Record. Five in a Row. Are They Really Back?
“Three! Three! Three!” the crowd chanted, over and over again, during the final minutes of Houston’s 3-point barrage. The Rockets rode an assault of treys from the perimeter on their way to a 136-118 victory, their 5th in a row on the season, over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night at Toyota Center. The Rockets finally secured a record they knew they should’ve been theirs long ago, as they went 26/55 from deep to set the record for the most 3-point field goals made in an NBA game. It’s amazing what great ball-movement does for a team’s shooting percentage outside the arc. And this time, the Beard’s friends joined the party. For the first time since November 23rd, The Rockets’ Big 3 (James Harden, Chris Paul, & Clint Capela) all scored more than 20 points in the same game. They had help too as the Rockets splashed their way to a record-shooting night from beyond the arc. The Rockets had 6 guys put in double-digit scoring numbers on the board (Danuel House was a point away from being included on that list, finishing with 9 points). Anytime Houston has 4 players with a plus/minus of 14 or more, not named James Harden or Chris Paul, usually results in a win for the Rockets, as it did on Wednesday. Harden got the team off to a hot start, hitting his first 3 from deep, to get the team’s record-setting pace on its way. The Beard finished with 35 points, going 6 of 11 from the promise land, to go along with 9 assists and 3 boards. Chris Paul shook out of his shooting slump, garnering 21 points to go along with 8 dimes. Clint Capela was back in All-Star form, scoring 20 while grabbing 12 rebounds. Eric Gordon showed improvement, that he might be slowly getting out of his slump, getting 16 points for the squad. P.J. Tucker was solid as always. His value often doesn’t show up in the box score but last night, Tucker was part of the 3-point party, scoring 11 while out-hustling the Wizards on his way to 11 rebounds on the night. The “GreenHouseEffect” is still a major, underlying factor throughout the Rockets’ current 5-game winning-streak. Danuel House and Gerald Green combined for a plus/minus of 30 and their presence was felt on both ends of the floor. Their 3-point shooting, combined with their defensive pressure and intensity, has been one of the main reasons why Houston’s in the midst of a 5-game winning streak. It was nice to see Trevor Ariza again. The Rockets paid him a fitting tribute video during the first timeout of the game, giving Rockets fans a reminder of what made last season so special. However, the team Ariza’s currently on, are no where near the Rockets. He’ll have to get used to that just as Houston’s adapting to his absence. Bradley Beal was the biggest threat for the Wizards, scoring 28 points. John Wall struggled early but came on late to score 18 for the Wiz but it wasn’t enough. The Rockets proved they were the better team. They beat a team they were supposed to beat. Something Houston did almost all of last year on their way to a franchise-record 65 wins. The Rockets have been struggling with that this year. They’ve shown they can compete with the best, but they’ve tended to fall asleep on some of the league’s poorer competition. That trend didn’t happen tonight, and it looks like the Rockets are back to winning the games they should. Although looks can be deceiving, only time will tell. Up next for the Houston, the Rockets make a quick trip east for a battle with the Miami Heat in another game they should win. Let’s hope the Rockets bring the same heat they had tonight, with them into Miami.