The undrafted guard from Campbell led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to a late loss in overtime to the Austin Spurs.
Houston Rockets rookie Chris Clemons scored a career-high 40 points Sunday night on assignment in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers during an overtime loss to the Austin Spurs.
Clemons finished by shooting 9-of-26 from the field, including 6-of-17 from 3-point range. The undrafted guard from Campbell also added four rebounds, four steals and three assists and hit all 10 free throws attempted in the contest.
Clemons came up clutch for the Vipers late in overtime after knocking down three free throws to tie the game with just 2.9 seconds left after he was fouled from beyond the arc. However, the Spurs responded with a layup by rookie Keldon Johnston to seal the win with 0.9 seconds left.
The 40-point outburst by Clemons topped a previous season-high of 25 points set on Dec. 20 and it is tied for the fifth-highest-scoring output by an individual player this season in the G League. Clemons is now averaging 24.7 points, 4.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 steals in six assignment games.
The Rockets converted Clemons’ contract from a two-way deal to a standard NBA contract last month after performing well in spot minutes off of the bench. Although Clemons has not seen consistent playing time this season, he has given the Rockets a boost when needed.
Clemons is averaging 5.2 points in 22 appearances in the NBA.
Eric Gordon scored a season-high 20 points in just 22 minutes in his return, but the shorthanded Rockets fell apart late in New Orleans.
Eric Gordon set a 2019-20 season high with 20 points in 22 minutes, but the undermanned Rockets ran out of steam in the final quarter in a 127-112 loss Sunday night at New Orleans (box score).
The Rockets (22-11) were missing three starters and two future Hall of Famers for the game, with James Harden (toe), Russell Westbrook (rest), and Clint Capela (heel) all out for medical reasons.
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Houston has now lost two of three games after its recent four-game winning streak.
Gordon looked much more athletic and efficient in his first game back after knee surgery, scoring 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting and 4-of-7 from 3-point range (57.1%). But since it was his first game after a layoff of more than six weeks, he was limited to 22 minutes.
The #Rockets who were without Harden, Westbrook & Capela fall to the Pelicans 127-112
Between Gordon’s minutes limitation and the absence of three veterans, the Rockets simply didn’t have much experience.
Rookie guard Chris Clemons had 16 points and nine assists while 21-year-old seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein had 19 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, but Houston struggled defensively in the fourth quarter as the Pelicans outscored them, 41-19, to put the game away.
The shorthanded #Rockets fall to the Pelicans tonight 127-112.
Down their leading scorers, rebounders & playmakers, the Rockets played the Pels tough thru 3Qs…were up 9 early 4th. BUT then were overwhelmed the rest of the way as NOLA outscored HOU 41-19 down the stretch. EG had 20 in his return. House 22. Harty & Clemons had double-doubles
Facing an inexperienced and often undersized Houstno defense, the Pelicans had four players in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday, and E’Twaun Moore all score at least 25 points on 50% or better shooting.
Danuel House Jr. led the Rockets in scoring with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field.
Another big night for the #Rockets Isaiah Hartenstein@Ipjh55 got the start against the Pelicans
Houston returns to action Tuesday at home in a big matchup against the Denver Nuggets (23-9), who the Rockets now trail by 1.5 games in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Westbrook is expected to play in that game, since his absence Sunday was purely for planned maintenance on the second game of a back-to-back. The statuses of Harden and Capela are not yet clear.
The 6-foot-8 Howard, who grew up in France, has shot approximately 44% on three-pointers this season with Utah’s G League affiliate.
The Rockets are signing lanky 6-foot-8 forward William Howard to their open Two-Way roster spot, which was created when Houston converted rookie guard Chris Clemons to a standard contract on Thursday.
A player on a Two-Way contract is primarily a G League player, but he can spend up to 45 service days with his affiliate NBA team.
The 26-year-old Howard, who grew up in France, had been playing for Utah’s G League affiliate — the Salt Lake City Stars. Because he was not under contract with the Jazz, the Rockets were able to pluck him away.
The Clemons contract conversion was made official earlier Friday, which officially opened the roster slot.
William Howard, a 6-8 wing, has shot well, making 43.7 percent of his 3s, and will add to the French-speaking connection on the Capela side of the Rockets' locker room. https://t.co/Vk0IWNlFxv
Rockets nab William Howard. He had played well for the Stars… lanky wing who can shoot well from 3, get to the basket some, pass. Defense not as strong, but he has a real chance to play a role for Houston. https://t.co/1y14cT2uTJ
In 30.4 minutes per game, Howard has averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in the G League. Besides his length, his most impressive trait is probably his 44.3% clip from three-point range on relatively high volume at 4.7 attempts per game.
With the signing of Howard and conversion of Clemons, Houston’s roster is now full with 15 players under standard contracts and two players (Howard and guard Michael Frazier) signed to Two-Way deals.
With his Two-Way deal running out of NBA days, the Rockets are signing rookie guard Chris Clemons to a three-year standard contract.
The Houston Rockets agreed to a three-year contract with rookie guard Chris Clemons, as first reported by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.
The 5-foot-9 Clemons had been on a Two-Way contract with the Rockets. A player on a Two-Way contract is primarily a G League player, but he can spend up to 45 service days with his affiliate NBA team.
Clemons’ allotment of NBA service days was close to running out, however, which prompted the move to a standard contract and allows him to stay with the Rockets as much as the team wants. Houston pulled a similar roster maneuver with undrafted rookie Gary Clark a season ago, once his Two-Way service days ran out at the NBA level.
The three-year deals were only made possible due to Houston preserving a portion of its Mid-Level Exception (MLE) money in both years, since a minimum contract could not be for longer than two years.
The Houston Rockets and two-way guard Chris Clemons have agreed to a three-year NBA deal, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium. Clemons ran out of two-way days and is now signing a full contract.
Rockets close to a three-year deal with Chris Clemons, John Spencer or 540 Sports and JSK Sports said. Still talks ongoing today about guarantees for this season, but the guarantee for all contracts is coming, anyway.
The Rockets (21-10) have had an open roster spot since waiving Ryan Anderson in late November. With the conversion of Clemons, the standard roster is now full, but they now have a Two-Way slot open.
Clemons played in college at Campbell University, where he was the NCAA’s top scorer in the 2018-19 season at 30.1 points per game. He is the third-highest scorer in Division 1 college basketball history. According to Basketball-Reference, Clemons’ offensive win shares (6.1) ranked second-best among all college players last season, while his player efficiency rating (33.0) was top 10 in the country.
Yet, primarily due to his small frame, Clemons was not selected by any team in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Rockets picked him up as an undrafted free agent and he quickly turned heads, averaging a team-best 20.8 points per game in Summer League, including 43.1% on 3-pointers.
In an exclusive July interview from Summer League, Clemons spoke with RocketsWire to explain his journey to the NBA; his skillset; the feedback he has received to this point; and much more.
Since then, in 20 games during the 2019-20 regular season, Clemons is averaging 4.8 points on 39.1% three-point shooting in 8.2 minutes per game. On Nov. 16, Clemons contributed to an important Houston win at Minnesota with a career-high 19 points (5-of-9 on three-pointers). That was a game where the Rockets were significantly shorthanded and missing a pair of veteran guards in Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon.
With Westbrook and Gordon again out Dec. 14 versus Detroit, Clemons scored 17 points in just 16 minutes on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range.
In addition to his gifts as a shooter, Clemons has also shown enormous athletic potential. Earlier this month, the 5-foot-9 guard finished an alley-oop on the receiving end following a pass from James Harden.
Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring and is clearly the team leader in Houston, has repeatedly sung the praises of Clemons in media interviews this season.
Now that Clemons is on a standard contract, the Rockets’ lone Two-Way player at the moment is guard Michael Frazier.
After missing all of training camp with an injury, Frazier’s NBA clock has yet to start, as he’s spent all of his time since returning with Houston’s G League affiliate — the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
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In five games with the Vipers, Frazier has averaged 15.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 23.8 minutes. Clemons has also played in five games there, with a slash line of 21.6 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.6 steals in 31.0 minutes.
The undrafted rookie from Campbell is averaging 4.8 points in 20 games this season in a limited role with the Rockets.
The Houston Rockets have reportedly agreed to sign rookie Chris Clemons to a three-year standard NBA contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The undrafted guard from Campbell was signed to a two-way contract but the team was forced to convert his contract to a standard deal after utilizing his 45 days of service. Clemons was viewed as a favorite to earn the Rockets’ final roster spot after a strong showing this season.
Clemons is averaging 4.8 points in 20 games this season in a limited role with the Rockets. He has recorded at least 15 points in four separate games, including a career-high 19 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 16.
The Houston Rockets and two-way guard Chris Clemons have agreed to a three-year NBA deal, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium. Clemons ran out of two-way days and is now signing a full contract.
The deal for Clemons is guaranteed at the prorated minimum for the rest of the 2019-20 season, according to a separate report from Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The second year is non-guaranteed with a team option for the final year.
Clemons first earned a non-guaranteed, Exhibit 10 contract from the Rockets after a strong showing in Summer League. The team eventually converted his deal to a two-way contract before agreeing to sign him to a standard NBA deal this week.
Though Clemons has played sparingly this season, the guard has given the Rockets a scoring boost off of the bench at times. He fits well in the Rockets’ system of running at a quick pace and launching 3-pointers after shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc.
The Rockets play next on Saturday vs. the Brooklyn Nets.
Although Zion Williamson will be sidelined due to injury, plenty of other rookie players should see some action on Christmas Day.
The 72nd edition of the NBA on Christmas Day will feature five games throughout the day with the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors getting things started at 12 p.m. ET.
The NBA will have five Christmas Day games for the 12th year in a row as ESPN and ABC will combine to broadcast each game. Four of the five games will be first-time matchups on the holiday.
The full five-game Christmas Day schedule:
Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers: 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors: 5 p.m. (ABC)
L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers: 8 p.m. (ABC & ESPN)
New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets: 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
While the full slate of games will be headlined by the likes of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and others, several first-year players will also make their holiday debuts.
Of course, the last game of the day will be without Zion Williamson as he recovers from knee surgery on Oct. 21. Although the No. 1 pick will be sidelined, plenty of other rookie players should see some action on Christmas Day.
Note: Injured players were not included
Grant Williams, Celtics
(Photo by Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports)
Williams is coming off of his best two-game swing of the season after totaling 30 points. The first-round pick often contributes his energy and playmaking off the bench and is beginning to see more playing time as a result.
Romeo Langford, Celtics
(Photo by Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
Langford is finally healthy and contributing for the Celtics. After dealing with a number of injuries, Langford recorded a season-high eight points and four rebounds Sunday night in a 119-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets. He appears to be ready to contribute and could see more action on Wednesday.
Carsen Edwards, Celtics
(Photo by Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports)
Edwards recently re-joined the Celtics after a four-game stint with the Maine Red Claws in the G League. Edwards averaged 21.8 points, five rebounds, 3.5 assists and three steals for the Red Claws. He appears to be back with the Celtics for now though it is unclear if he will play on Wednesday.
Tremont Waters, Celtics
(Photo by Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)
Waters has spent the majority of the season in the G League. In 13 games played, he is averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals. He is 12th in the G League in assists and 12th in steals. With the Red Claws off until Friday, Waters will likely be with the Celtics.
Tacko Fall, Celtics
(Photo by David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)
With the Celtics dealing with injuries to centers Robert Williams and Vincent Poirier, Fall has been on the active roster recently. Fall has three appearances with the Celtics this season, totaling 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Terence Davis, Raptors
(Photo by Tim Fuller/USA TODAY Sports)
The undrafted guard has earned significant playing time for head coach Nick Nurse and he has taken advantage of it. Davis is averaging 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 30 games this season, including a career-high 19 points against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 20.
Chris Clemons, Rockets
(Photo by Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
The two-way rookie has contributed sporadically for the Rockets this season. Clemons has scored at least 15 points four different times and has given the Rockets a boost of offense off of the bench. His play has him on the verge of earning a standard NBA deal.
Eric Paschall, Warriors
(Photo by Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
After a strong start to his rookie campaign, Paschall has dealt with a few injuries recently. He has been dealing with a sore hip and suffered a knee injury, causing him to leave early on Friday against the Pelicans. Paschall played on Monday, a good indication he should be able to go on Wednesday.
Jordan Poole, Warriors
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
With the Warriors battling through injuries for much of the season, Poole has been used quite frequently. His playing time has dropped recently, though, after struggling with his shot. In 29 games, Poole is averaging 7.1 points and shooting just 25.4% from the field.
Ky Bowman, Warriors
(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Warriors have leaned quite a bit on two-way guard Ky Bowman so it is unclear if he will play but he has produced when called upon. Bowman is posting 8.3 points and 2.7 assists in 27 games this season and recently recorded two points in 22 minutes on Monday.
Mfiondu Kabengele, Clippers
(Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
The first-round has shuttled between the NBA and G League this season, playing only mostly in mop-up duty with the Varsity squad. In the G League, though, Kabengele has been a monster after dropping 36 points and 12 rebounds on Dec. 12.
Terance Mann, Clippers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Like Kabengele, Mann has been used periodically for the Clippers though has started five games for head coach Doc Rivers. Mann hasn’t played in five games so, like Kabengele, may not see much time on Christmas Day.
Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans
(Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
Without Zion Williamson, Hayes has been top rookie on the Pelicans. In 28 games, Hayes is averaging 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Hayes recently scored in double figures in five of seven games but has cooled off since then, totaling just 12 points over his last three games.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Pelicans
(Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)
Alexander-Walker has had a few spurts this season in which he has flashed his potential but has struggled to stay consistent with inconsistent playing time. He recently fell out of the rotation and may not see a ton of time on Wednesday.
Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets
(Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Nuggets have been trying to find more playing time for their redshirt freshman but have been unsuccessful in doing so. The team has been rumored to be shopping Malik Beasley, which would open the door for Porter, but the team has not yet moved him.
Playing their third game in four nights and second of a split back-to-back, the Rockets lacked their usual energy in a home loss to Detroit.
Playing their third game in a third city in four nights and the second of a split back-to-back, the Houston Rockets (17-9) lacked their usual energy in an uninspiring 115-107 home loss Saturday night to the Detroit Pistons.
The defeat (box score) snapped Houston’s winning streak at two games after wins Wednesday and Friday in Cleveland and Orlando, respectively.
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Former MVP Derrick Rose led the Pistons (11-15) with a throwback performance off the bench, posting 20 points and 12 assists in 26 minutes. Detroit led by a comfortable margin for most of the game.
James Harden scored a game-high 39 points, but the superstar Rockets guard didn’t seem to have his usual legs. The NBA’s scoring leader made just 4-of-13 three-pointers (30.8%), a night after hitting 10-of-15 (66.7%) in his 54-point outburst during Friday’s blowout win at Orlando.
Mike D'Antoni says exhaustion was "definitely" part of the loss tonight:
“It is what it is,”Harden said when asked if the loss could be blamed on the schedule logistics. “We all know how difficult it is. You’ve got to just continue to play through it. It was a tough one for us tonight.”
Collectively, the Rockets made just 13-of-45 treys (29.5%) Saturday at Toyota Center after going 22-of-39 (56.4%) in Orlando on Friday.
Rookie guard Chris Clemons, who had relatively fresh legs after playing only three minutes on Friday, scored 17 points and hit 5-of-11 three-pointers (45.5%) off the bench. Outside of Clemons, though, the Rockets were just 8-of-34 from behind the three-point arc (23.5%).
“He made some big-time shots,” Harden said of Clemons. “His confidence continues to grow as he gets more minutes, and as he gets more comfortable on the floor. When his number is called, he’s ready to go.”
Chris Clemons: "For us young guys, [this game] is a great opportunity. Russ and those guys – those are big shoes to fill… For me personally, I'm happy to get those opportunities." pic.twitter.com/RrSlzgX3wC
Despite 19 rebounds from Clint Capela amid the absence of usual Pistons starting center Andre Drummond (eye), the lethargic Rockets were still outrebounded by a 55-46 margin overall. Christian Wood led the Pistons with 13 rebounds in just 22 minutes off the bench.
Russell Westbrook sat out for planned maintenance after offseason knee surgery, as he’s done in one game of all back-to-backs so far this season. Westbrook entered Saturday on a hot streak, and his absence was especially significant in the team’s minutes without Harden (-11).
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The Rockets have an off day Sunday before wrapping up their current two-game homestand on Monday versus San Antonio (10-15).
The illness bug going around the Houston Rockets has claimed guard Austin Rivers and center Tyson Chandler as its latest victims.
The illness bug going around the Houston Rockets has seemingly claimed guard Austin Rivers and center Tyson Chandler as its latest victims.
Both reserves missed Monday’s home loss to Sacramento, and the team announced at Tuesday’s practice at Toyota Center before departing for Cleveland that they would also miss Wednesday’s game.
Within the past two weeks, starting center Clint Capela and small forward Danuel House Jr. both missed multiple games due to illness. While the team has not confirmed that all of its illnesses are related, having four players all suffer extensive illness absences in such a short timeframe would appear to point to something being contagious.
Mike D’Antoni says Tyson Chandler and Austin Rivers out (illness) tomorrow night. Will not make the trip to Cleveland. TBD after that.
Rivers, now 27 years old, is averaging 8.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game for the Rockets (15-8).
Chandler, who is 37 and in his 19th NBA season, averages 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game.
With the pair of veterans out, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni turned to second-year forward Gary Clark and rookie guard Chris Clemons to help fill out his bench rotation on Monday.
The undrafted rookie tied his second-highest scoring output of the season on Saturday after dropping in four 3-pointers in the win.
In a game that saw James Harden drop 60 points, Houston Rockets guard Chris Clemons recorded 16 points on Saturday night in a 158-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
With the Rockets sporting a hefty lead, Clemons entered the game and quickly went to work. The undrafted rookie did all of his damage in the fourth quarter, shooting 6-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
The performance by Clemons tied his second-highest scoring night of the season as he also scored 16 points on Nov. 3 against the Miami Heat. He set his career-high with 19 points scored against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 16.
Signed to a two-way contract, Clemons is eligible to spend up to 45 days in the NBA, though the Rockets have utilized Clemons quite a bit so far this season. Clemons has only one appearance in the G League, a 24-point performance on Nov. 12.
Clemons has proven to be a solid option off of the bench for the Rockets in select situations and has performed well when he sees playing time. The Rockets could elect to sign Clemons to a standard NBA contract once his service time is over.
Clemons is averaging 5.3 points on 46.2% shooting in 13 games with the Rockets.
The Rockets (12-6) are significant favorites over the Hawks (4-14), who entered Friday tied for the worst record in the Eastern Conference. That could present the team with an opportunity to be more conservative in their treatment of injured or sick players.
Clint Capela and Danuel House Jr are both doubtful for tomorrow, per Coach D’Antoni, with illnesses. #Rockets
Veteran Tyson Chandler would start in Capela’s place if the 25-year-old is unable to go — just as he did Wednesday. Young prospects Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark could also figure into the mix.
Clark added 12 points and eight rebounds in 28 impressive minutes off the bench Wednesday, while Hartenstein had 16 rebounds in 30 minutes on Nov. 16 when Capela missed a game in Minnesota.
Mike D’Antoni says Clint Capela (illness) doubtful for tomorrow night and if Clint doesn’t play Tyson Chandler will get the start again.
In his sixth season, Capela is averaging 14.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 31.9 minutes per game this year, and he’s on a historic rebounding run with at least 19 boards in his last seven games played. Those are large shoes to fill for any of his potential replacements.
Prior to Capela’s current streak, the only NBA player to have at least 19 rebounds in seven straight games was rebounding legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman, who last did it in the 1994-95 season.
The only player in Rockets franchise history to have posted averages of at least 14 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks per game in a single season was Hakeem Olajuwon, who did it 30 years ago in the 1989-90 season.
Meanwhile, Ben McLemore would likely start in the place of House. McLemore scored 14 points and hit 4-of-9 (44.4%) from three-point range when House missed a game last Friday at the Los Angeles Clippers.
But at 6-foot-3, McLemore isn’t as long or as versatile defensively as the 6-foot-6 House. House also has the advantage as a shooter, with the native Houstonian connecting on 42.4% of his three-point attempts this season — as compared to 29.1% for McLemore.
Further down the bench, starting McLemore for House could also present a rotation opportunity for veteran forward Thabo Sefolosha or rookie guard Chris Clemons to help fill McLemore’s usual bench minutes.
