Tag: Ben McLemore

In battle of NBA’s worst, Rockets lament historic collapse at Minnesota

For those wanting superior draft-lottery odds, Friday’s stunning collapse by Houston versus the NBA’s worst team could prove beneficial.

In a battle of the NBA’s two worst teams by record, and with draft-lottery odds arguably the biggest prize, the Rockets pulled off a nearly impossible loss by going scoreless over Friday’s final seven-plus minutes in Minnesota. Houston has now lost 22 of its last 23 games, overall.

A jumper from DJ Augustin put Houston up 16 with 7:31 left in the game, and they were then outscored 22-0 the rest of the way in a stunning 107-101 victory (box score) for the Timberwolves. With the win, Minnesota improved to 11-34, which puts the Rockets (12-32) within range of the league’s worst mark — and with a rematch looming in under 24 hours.

Per ESPN Stats & Info, Houston is just the fourth NBA team over the last 25 years to go scoreless over the last 7:30 of a game.

Star center Karl-Anthony Towns was the clear standout for Minnesota with 29 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists, while his counterpart, Christian Wood, led the Rockets with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

John Wall dished out a season-high 15 assists, but he shot just 6-of-25 (24.0%) from the field and went 0-of-6 in the decisive and isolation-heavy fourth quarter. Wall also had a game-high seven turnovers.

Augustin added 13 points off the bench for Houston, while starting forwards Sterling Brown (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Jae’Sean Tate (10 points, 7 rebounds) each scored in double-figures. With Danuel House Jr. out for personal reasons, Ben McLemore started in his place and scored a season-high 21 points on 7-of-14 (50.0%) from 3-point range.

Houston and Minnesota will play again on Saturday night, also at Target Center in Minneapolis. For now, here’s a look at highlights and postgame reaction following night one of the back-to-back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAC0j-nu-0Q

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Rockets guard Ben McLemore drawing trade interest from contenders

Several contenders are interested in trading for McLemore by the March 25 deadline, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

A number of NBA contenders are interested in trading for Rockets guard Ben McLemore, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. It isn’t yet clear what type of value that McLemore might bring the Rockets in any deal.

McLemore is in the final year of his existing contract, and with the Rockets (11-25) on a 15-game losing streak and seemingly out of playoff contention, there’s little incentive for Houston to retain players that they might lose for no compensation in offseason free agency.

A 6-foot-3 guard, McLemore was one of the NBA’s best long-range shooters last season, connecting on 40.0% of his 3-pointers at high volume (an average of 6.4 3-attempts per game). That could make the 28-year-old attractive to contenders who want an extra shooter for their bench in the playoffs. McLemore averaged 10.1 points in 22.8 minutes last season, representing the second-highest scoring total of his career.

McLemore hasn’t played nearly as well in the 2020-21 season, making just 30.9% from 3-point range while scoring 6.4 points in 15.7 minutes per game. But there are some clear extenuating circumstances.

For starters, McLemore missed the start of the season after reportedly testing positive for COVID-19, which put him behind the curve when it came to earning playing time for new coach Stephen Silas. McLemore hasn’t had nearly the same minutes or usage patterns under Silas this season that he did with Mike D’Antoni, and he also hasn’t had James Harden to pass him the ball and draw attention from opposing defenses.

The thought is that if McLemore joins a solid playoff team with a star player to draw in defenders, he could find more open shots and recapture the form he had next to Harden and Russell Westbrook a year ago.

With the March 25 trade deadline now less than two weeks away, the Rockets and their fans won’t have to wait long to find out.

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Free agency stock watch: Jarrett Allen, Derrick Rose, Norman Powell and more

We are getting closer to the 2021 NBA trade deadline, which means teams will soon have to make decisions about the future of their rosters. That kind of critical thinking surrounding roster construction impacts players around the league. So as front …

We are getting closer to the 2021 NBA trade deadline, which means teams will soon have to make decisions about the future of their rosters.

That kind of critical thinking surrounding roster construction impacts players around the league. So as front offices continue to look inward and examine if they will be buyers or sellers when the trade market heats up, executives are also thinking about who they plan to re-sign or let walk during the offseason.

As part of our ongoing series at HoopsHype, we are looking at whose free agency stock has gone up – and down – over the last several games.

Rockets reaction: LaMelo Ball outduels Victor Oladipo as Hornets swarm

With John Wall and Eric Gordon out, Houston needed Victor Oladipo to snap out of his slump. Unfortunately, he was outplayed by LaMelo Ball.

With veteran guards John Wall and Eric Gordon each resting on the front end of a road back-to-back, the Houston Rockets needed backcourt mate Victor Oladipo to pick up the slack on Monday in Charlotte. In a deflating 119-94 loss (box score), it didn’t quite happen.

Oladipo scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, but he shot just 7-of-18 from the field (38.9%) — and one of the makes was a 3-pointer in the closing minutes, long after the game had been decided. Meanwhile, Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball had 24 points and 10 assists, including a career-high seven 3-pointers in 12 attempts. The Hornets were +20 in the 32 minutes that Ball played, which easily led all players in the game.

Oladipo entered Monday’s game shooting just 33.3% from the field (25.0% on 3-pointers) over his last three games, and his performance against the Hornets didn’t do much to reverse the recent slump. As usual, he will rest in Tuesday’s second game of the back-to-back, while Wall and Gordon will each make their returns in New Orleans.

Ben McLemore had 15 points off the Houston bench, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers (66.7%). Meanwhile, forwards Jae’Sean Tate and Danuel House Jr. — who started in place of Wall — each scored 13.

The Hornets hit 19-of-41 from 3-point range (46.3%), while the Rockets shot just 13-of-46 (28.3%). In addition Ball’s seven triples, Gordon Hayward (19 points) and Terry Rozier (15) each had three.

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Houston tied the game in the final minute of the third quarter before Charlotte promptly went on a 22-1 run over the next seven-plus minutes to put the game away. Houston scored just seven points in the fourth quarter, tied for the fewest in franchise history.

See below for a compilation of Monday’s highlights and postgame reaction from the Rockets. Tuesday’s game at New Orleans starts at 6:30 p.m. Central, with a national television broadcast on TNT.

Rockets at Thunder: Lineups, injury reports, and broadcast info for Wednesday

With John Wall and David Nwaba out, reserve guards Ben McLemore and Mason Jones may find new minutes for Stephen Silas and the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets are perhaps the hottest team in the NBA, coming off six straight victories and a 30-point romp at Oklahoma City on Monday night. Now, courtesy of the NBA’s revised scheduling for the 2020-21 season to minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll try and defeat the those same Thunder for a second time in three days.

Since trading James Harden, the Rockets are 7-3 and have consistently ranked among the league’s elite in defensive rating. Suddenly, Houston’s offense is showing signs of matching that form. The Rockets set a new franchise record Monday with 28 made 3-pointers in 52 attempts (53.8%), and they tied for the third-highest-scoring quarter in team history with 48 points — which they also did on Saturday. In Monday’s case, they even tied the all-time NBA record with 11 treys in a quarter.

Besides the potential of Houston’s shooting to regress to the mean, the Rockets could also have a tougher time Wednesday due to the absence of their floor general. John Wall, who hit 4-of-5 from 3-point range (80.0%) on Monday, is sitting out for planned maintenance on the first night of a back-to-back for Houston. Former Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon, who led the Rockets in scoring and made 3-pointers during Monday’s blowout win, is the most likely candidate to step into Wall’s starting spot.

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On the other side, the Thunder will also be short-handed, since leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out with a left knee sprain. He could be replaced in the OKC backcourt by Hamidou Diallo, who scored 15 points in 15 minutes on Monday on 6-of-7 shooting (85.7%).

Here’s when you should tune in to see Wednesday’s game:

  • Date: Wednesday, Feb. 3
  • Time: 7 p.m. Central
  • TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
  • Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (10-9)

  • Guard: Eric Gordon
  • Guard: Victor Oladipo
  • Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
  • Forward: PJ Tucker
  • Center: Christian Wood

Oklahoma City Thunder (8-11)

  • Guard: Hamidou Diallo
  • Guard: Luguentz Dort
  • Forward: Théo Maledon
  • Forward: Darius Bazley
  • Center: Al Horford

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Besides Wall, the Rockets will also be missing defensive ace David Nwaba due to a left ankle sprain. For Houston coach Stephen Silas, reserve guards Ben McLemore and Mason Jones are the most likely candidates to fill some of the minutes that typically go to Nwaba and Wall.

In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder will again be without George Hill (right thumb sprain); Ty Jerome (left ankle sprain), and former Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (not with team).

Note: This post originally appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Houston Rockets player grades for the 2020-21 season so far

With the regular season a quarter complete, we grade the performances of 12 players who have played at least 100 minutes with the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets (9-9) have now played 18 games of their 2020-21 regular season. With the schedule shortened to 72 games due to COVID-19, which pushed back the NBA calendar last year, this means that they’re officially a quarter of the way through the season.

Generally speaking, that sample size is becoming significant enough to draw some conclusions. While the record feels a bit misleading due to injuries, quarantines, and chemistry effects from James Harden’s early trade request (keep in mind, the Rockets were 3-6 with Harden), the sample offers ample evidence to begin analyzing individuals.

Since trading Harden, the Rockets have transitioned from the No. 22 overall defense to one of the league’s elite, and with a winning record. They ended January on a five-game winning streak.

This quarter-point analysis excludes players who have yet to play 100 game minutes with the Rockets (Kevin Porter Jr., Brodric Thomas, KJ Martin, Rodions Kurucs), since they haven’t played enough to get a sense of their abilities. In the case of Porter, Thomas, and Martin, all are reporting to the G League “bubble” for developmental purposes.

Here’s a look at the 12 core members of the Rockets who have played 100+ minutes during the 2020-21 season to date. The list is sorted by total minutes played, starting with the highest. Grades are determined relative to realistic expectations going into the year — i.e. even though rookie Mason Jones has one of the team’s highest grades, it doesn’t mean he’s automatically more valuable than those with lower grades.

 

Rockets reaction: Christian Wood, Mason Jones post big numbers in shorthanded loss to Spurs

Christian Wood led the way with 24 points, 18 points, and 3 blocks, while rookie guard Mason Jones scored 24 in his debut as an NBA starter.

The Houston Rockets won Thursday at San Antonio with an extremely shorthanded roster. In Saturday’s rematch, they couldn’t repeat the feat with a roster that somehow became even more undermanned.

Of Thursday’s nine players, Sterling Brown and DeMarcus Cousins were each held out Saturday due to leg injuries, and recent trade acquisition Victor Oladipo wasn’t activated in time. John Wall (sore left knee), Eric Gordon (left lower leg tightness), and Danuel House Jr. (self-isolating) all remained out, as well, though head coach Stephen Silas indicated that some of those veterans could return by Monday’s game in Chicago.

Fellow newcomer Rodions Kurucs was cleared just before tipoff, giving Houston the required eighth active player to play. But the Rockets (4-7) ran out of steam as the game moved along, scoring just 38 points in the second half after putting up 30 in the first quarter alone.

Christian Wood led the way with 24 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while rookie Mason Jones — starting for Brown — scored 24 points on 6-of-8 shooting (75.0%) from 3-point range. Backcourt mate Ben McLemore added 21 points on 4-of-7 shooting (57.1%) on 3-pointers.

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Here’s what Jones said postgame, regarding his strong showing:

It was really special. A lot of people thought I wasn’t really capable of playing in this league. A lot of people thought my athleticism wasn’t going to translate. But I just know how to play the game. I know how to get my shot off, and also get people involved, and that just helps me get my shots open, like today.

But it really doesn’t mean a lot when we don’t get the dub. So, it was a good chance to really seize the opportunity, but at the end of the day, I just want the W.

But as hot as Houston’s starting guards were, its forwards were equally cold. Jae’Sean Tate and PJ Tucker combined to score just 11 points on 3-of-20 shooting (15.0%), including 0-of-7 on 3-pointers.

The Spurs (7-6) were led in Saturday’s 103-91 win (box score) by 24 points from veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. See below for a compilation of the postgame reaction from the Houston locker room.

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Here is the projected rotation for the Rockets after trading James Harden

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

Under first-year head coach Stephen Silas, Houston will run their offense through John Wall and Christian Wood. They will also incorporate two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the deal as well.

Overall, this move was more focused on the future than the present, as the Rockets landed a total of four unprotected first-rounders and four unprotected pick swaps.

There were also immediate financial implications considering, as noted by our own Yossi Gozlan, Houston went from $5.2 million over the luxury tax to $3.7 million under the tax. Houston can also generate a traded player exception worth $10.7 million if they want to continue tweaking this roster, per Gozlan.

Below, however, as what the rotation looks like for the Rockets after trading away their longtime superstar:

Here is the projected rotation for the Rockets after trading James Harden

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

The Houston Rockets traded away 2018 NBA MVP James Harden in a blockbuster deal. But what will the new version of this team look like?

Under first-year head coach Stephen Silas, Houston will run their offense through John Wall and Christian Wood. They will also incorporate two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo, who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers in the deal as well.

Overall, this move was more focused on the future than the present, as the Rockets landed a total of four unprotected first-rounders and four unprotected pick swaps.

There were also immediate financial implications considering, as noted by our own Yossi Gozlan, Houston went from $5.2 million over the luxury tax to $3.7 million under the tax. Houston can also generate a traded player exception worth $10.7 million if they want to continue tweaking this roster, per Gozlan.

Below, however, as what the rotation looks like for the Rockets after trading away their longtime superstar:

Rockets reaction: Christian Wood dominates in rout of shorthanded Magic

Wood led the team with 22 points and 15 rebounds in just 27 minutes as Houston cruised to a 42-point victory over the shorthanded Magic.

Emerging big man Christian Wood returned from a one-game injury absence with a team-high 22 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocked shots in only 27 minutes, leading the Houston Rockets (3-4) to a commanding 132-90 victory (box score) at home over visiting Orlando (6-3).

Dating back to last season, Wood has now scored at least 20 points in each of his past 11 games. The last player to go undrafted by the NBA or ABA and record at least 11 straight 20-point games was Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins, who did so 51 years ago — in 1970.

The Magic were very shorthanded due to an assortment of injuries, with rotation regulars Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, and Al-Farouq Aminu all out for Friday’s game. Orlando (6-3) had already lost Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac to season-ending injuries in recent weeks.

But for a Houston squad that entered on a two-game losing streak and has had an overwhelming amount of injuries and quarantines early in the 2020-21 regular season, it felt as if they were due.

Wood led the way in the box score, but he was far from alone in a dominant team effort. Ben McLemore and PJ Tucker each made five 3-pointers as Houston connected on a season-best 22 shots from behind the arc, while James Harden scored 15 points and dished out a team-high 13 assists. John Wall (14 points, 3-of-4 on 3-pointers) and Jae’Sean Tate (10 points, 5-of-5 shooting) both scored in double figures, as well.

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Meanwhile, head coach Stephen Silas was extremely pleased with his team’s defense, which limited Orlando to just 33 points in a suffocating first half. The performance was so dominant that no one exceeded 31 minutes played, and rookies Mason Jones and KJ Martin Jr. each got to make their NBA regular-season debuts during late mop-up duty.

Here’s a selection of postgame remarks and analysis.

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