Tag: Clint Capela

Rockets create open roster spot after waiving Ryan Anderson

The Houston Rockets created an open roster spot Monday by waiving Ryan Anderson, and it might ultimately go to rookie Chris Clemons.

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The Houston Rockets are waiving veteran big man Ryan Anderson, as first reported Monday by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

The Rockets signed the 31-year-old in September to a partially guaranteed deal, but it had become increasingly clear in recent weeks that Mike D’Antoni and the Houston coaching staff did not see Anderson as a viable option.

Despite multi-game absences by frontcourt starters Clint Capela (concussion) and Danuel House Jr. (back), Anderson still didn’t receive playing time last week. Instead, D’Antoni went with frontcourt prospects Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark, who had previously played for Houston’s G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

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Any value Anderson had to the Rockets was in the form of insurance depth. But with Capela and House probable to return in Monday’s home game versus Portland, that became less important.

Overall, Anderson played in just two games during the current 2019-20 season. In those, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 2.5 points (28.5% shooting, 20.0% on three-pointers) and 3.5 rebounds in 7.0 minutes.

Anderson’s second stint in Houston was clearly less successful than his first. In 138 regular-season games (122 starts) during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, a younger Anderson averaged 11.6 points (39.6% on three-pointers) and 4.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game. However, his defensive mobility declined as the years progressed.

Anderson’s exit does open up a roster spot for the Rockets, though it’s unclear if they have immediate plans to use it. Houston currently has 14 players under standard contracts, along with prospect guards Chris Clemons and Michael Frazier on Two-Way deals.

According to Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen, the roster spot could ultimately be used to keep Clemons with the team once he runs out of NBA service days on his Two-Way contract. Clemons, a 5-foot-9 rookie guard, scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting in Saturday’s win over Minnesota.

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Rockets list Capela, House as probable to return Monday

The Rockets upgraded the medical status of two starters, with Clint Capela (concussion) and Danuel House Jr. (back) now probable for Monday.

The Houston Rockets appear likely to get a pair of needed reinforcements for Monday’s home game versus Portland.

In Sunday’s injury report, the Rockets listed both Clint Capela and Danuel House Jr. as probable. House missed the last three games with a bruised back, while Capela sat out the last two with a concussion.

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The Rockets (10-3) have won seven consecutive games, but the schedule for the upcoming week appears difficult — headlined by road games on Wednesday and Friday at a pair of likely Western Conference contenders in Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Thus, it certainly feels like an opportune time for Houston’s starting center and small forward to return.

In 11 games, Capela has averaged 13.4 points (65% shooting), 12.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10 big man has grabbed 20 rebounds in his last three games, making the 25-year-old the first Rockets player to do so since Moses Malone in 1982.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old House is averaging 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game, led by a blistering 45.5% mark on three-pointers. The defensive rating of 104.0 and overall net rating of 8.0 by the 6-foot-6 forward and native Houstonian are both among the best of any player in head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s regular rotation.

Ben McLemore and Tyson Chandler, who each started in the absence of House and Capela, will return to bench roles.

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Clemons, Hartenstein have career nights as Rockets’ streak hits seven

James Harden scored 49 and Chris Clemons and Isaiah Hartenstein each set career highs, leading the Rockets (10-3) to a seventh straight win.

The Houston Rockets probably weren’t too surprised by the game-high 49 points from James Harden on Saturday in Minnesota, even on night two of a split back-to-back. After all, he’s a former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the league’s leading scorer for a reason.

But career-high showings off the bench in the form of 19 points from rookie guard Chris Clemons (+32 in plus/minus), and 16 rebounds (+26) from 21-year-old seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein? Those were quite unexpected, and it helped lead the short-handed Rockets to an impressive 125-105 road win (box score) Saturday at Minnesota (7-6).

Despite standing just 5-foot-9 and several inches shorter than those guarding him, Clemons was very efficient Saturday by shooting 7-of-11 overall (including a dunk!), and 5-of-9 on three-pointers.

It represents the seventh straight victory for the Rockets (10-3), who are now just a half-game back of the Los Angeles Lakers (10-2) for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Even with three starters and four rotation players out in the form of Russell Westbrook (rest), Danuel House Jr. (bruised back), Clint Capela (concussion), and Eric Gordon (knee surgery), the Rockets found a way to keep their winning streak going with improbable contributions from the likes of Clemons and Hartenstein — especially when combined with the usual brilliance from Harden.

Harden has now scored 40+ points seven different times in the 2019-20 season to date, which is more than half of Houston’s 13 games.

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Guards Austin Rivers (19 points) and Ben McLemore (20 points) started in place of Westbrook and House, with each performing admirably. At center, Tyson Chandler started for Capela. But at 37 years old, Chandler was limited to 17 minutes on night two of the back-to-back, following a strong performance (+24 in 25 minutes) in Friday’s home win over Indiana. However, Hartenstein more than picked up the slack with 16 rebounds in a career-high 31 minutes.

The Timberwolves were led by 27 points and 15 rebounds from All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite it being the second night of a back-to-back and the road, Houston’s defensive effort somehow improved as the game moved along, with the Rockets allowing just 43 points in the second half after giving up 62 in the first half.

The Rockets will not practice Sunday, taking it as a well-deserved day off after a stretch of three wins in four days. They’ll return to action Monday with a home game versus the Portland Trail Blazers (5-8).

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Rockets likely to rest Russell Westbrook Saturday in Minnesota

After an offseason knee scope, the shorthanded Rockets are resting Russell Westbrook for the second game of this weekend’s back-to-back.

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook is likely to sit out Saturday night’s game in Minnesota, Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni said in his pregame press conference Friday night at Toyota Center.

Heading into Friday’s home game versus Indiana, which he started, the eight-time NBA All-Star and former Most Valuable Player (MVP) was averaging 21.1 points (45.7% shooting), 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 32.6 minutes per game with the Rockets this season.

The Rockets are being cautious early in the season with the 31-year-old Westbrook, who missed time early in training camp and the preseason after undergoing a knee procedure in the offseason.

D’Antoni announced the news shortly before Friday’s game. Shortly after that game goes final, the team will fly to Minnesota for Saturday night’s game against the Timberwolves.

This is the second of 11 back-to-backs for Houston this season. In the first one, the Rockets also played Westbrook on the front end (Nov. 3 in Miami) before sitting him on the back end (Nov. 4 in Memphis).

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The Rockets are short-handed for the time being, and Westbrook’s absence would compound the issue. Starting center Clint Capela (concussion) is likely out for both games of the back-to-back, while forward Danuel House Jr. is out Friday and questionable for Saturday with a bruised back. Reserve guard Eric Gordon is out for six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee on Wednesday.

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Given the wave of injuries and Westbrook’s likely absence for planned maintenance, D’Antoni said young players such as Isaiah Hartenstein and Gary Clark are likely to play in the back-to-back.

Podcast: On the defensive growth, Harden versus Beverley, and more

Friday’s podcast breaks down Harden versus Beverley, Russell Westbrook’s shooting slump; the Rockets’ defensive improvements; and much more.

Friday’s Locked on Rockets podcast episode with host Jackson Gatlin and analyst Ben DuBose offers more analysis on Houston’s current five-game winning streak, punctuated by a 102-93 win over reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The episode begins with a discussion of the NBA’s defensive stat tracking, and how Patrick Beverley really did get burned by James Harden (47 points) multiple times throughout the game.

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The conversation then transitions to how the team’s defensive identity continues to grow and improve, with the Rockets now ranked No. 17 in defensive rating for the 2019-20 season after previously being second-to-last in the NBA through six games.

The 93 points allowed by Houston to the Clippers (7-4) — viewed by many as a legitimate NBA title contender — were the least allowed by the Rockets (8-3) in any game so far this season.

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Other topics include the need for Russell Westbrook to take advantage of his style of play and maximize his output in “Russ-only lineups” with the second unit; rotation speculation given several injuries to key contributors like Eric Gordon (out six weeks), Danuel House Jr. (day-to-day) and Clint Capela (day-to-day); and praise for unexpected contributions from veteran center Tyson Chandler.

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The show concludes with a preview of Houston’s upcoming schedule for the remainder of November, with seven consecutive matchups looming against potential playoff teams. Tune in!

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Rockets center Clint Capela to miss at least one game with head injury

Houston Rockets center Clint Capela is out for Friday’s game versus Indiana and doubtful for Saturday in Minnesota with a head injury.

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The Houston Rockets (8-3) have won five consecutive games, but they’ll likely need some players near the end of their bench to step up this weekend against strong competition to keep the streak going.

Starting center Clint Capela is out for Friday’s home matchup versus Indiana (7-4) with a head injury and doubtful for Saturday’s road game at Minnesota (7-3), head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed at Thursday’s practice. The 25-year-old left Wednesday’s win over the Clippers in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to his head in a collision with Los Angeles big man JaMychal Green.

Capela was evaluated postgame for a concussion,  and the Rockets say he will be re-evaluated before Saturday’s game. However, as of Thursday, Capela had not been diagnosed with a concussion.

Capela has grabbed at least 20 rebounds in each of his last three games played, making him the first Rockets player to do so since Moses Malone in 1982. His rebounding presence has been a big part of the Rockets’ remarkable defensive turnaround, with Houston going from the NBA’s second-worst team in defensive rating over the first six games (3-3) to the league’s No. 1 defense over the current streak.

The timing of the 6-foot-10 big man’s absence is not ideal for the Rockets, who have the weekend back-to-back against two teams led by elite big men. Indiana has Domantas Sabonis, who is averaging 19.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game this season, while Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 25.8 points and 12.0 rebounds.

Tyson Chandler finished Wednesday’s game at center after Capela exited, posting an impressive nine rebounds in 16 minutes. At practice, D’Antoni said Chandler would start in Capela’s place.

At 37 years old and in his 19th season, however, Chandler is unlikely to play anywhere close to Capela’s average of 30.2 minutes per game. And with Sabonis and Towns looming, it seems doubtful that D’Antoni would play the majority of both games without a center.

Moreover, D’Antoni’s preferred smaller lineups with P.J. Tucker at center are complicated at the moment by the back injury to Danuel House Jr., who often slides to power forward when Tucker is in the middle. House is doubtful for Friday after sitting out Wednesday.

Thus, the Rockets may have no choice but to turn to young seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein to fill at least some of Capela’s usual minutes. The third-year center has averaged 24.0 points (59.6% shooting), 16.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game this season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s NBA G League affiliate.

Hartenstein has yet to play in the NBA this season, though he did play sparingly in 28 games in the 2018-19 season. Given the size and skill of this weekend’s opposing bigs, D’Antoni could be forced to roll the dice and experiment with Houston’s athletic 21-year-old prospect.

Veteran forward Ryan Anderson could be another short-term option, but he’s relatively undersized for a center at 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds and doesn’t provide much rim protection or defensive value.

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Rockets win fifth straight as James Harden bests Kawhi Leonard late

James Harden had 47 points and scored 17 in the game’s final six minutes, leading to a Rockets win over Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers in Houston.

James Harden took over Wednesday’s fourth quarter in Houston, scoring 17 points in the final six minutes as the Rockets overcame a four-point deficit with under six minutes left to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, 102-93. Houston closed the game on a 22-9 run.

For the game, Harden scored 47 points on 12-of-26 shooting, led by a 7-of-13 (53.8%) showing on three-pointers. The 30-year-old guard also had seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals, with the last coming against Clippers superstar and reigning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kawhi Leonard to seal the win in the final minute.

Clippers guard Pat Beverley, long known as one of the NBA’s toughest isolation defenders, couldn’t stay on the floor long enough to try and slow Harden. Beverley fouled out in just 27 minutes, and longtime rival Russell Westbrook got in a postgame dig at Beverley’s expense after Harden’s 47-point outburst versus a former teammate.

Leonard had 26 points and 12 rebounds, but thanks in large part to strong defense from Houston forward P.J. Tucker, it took him 24 shots to get those 26 points. That made for a much less efficient night in comparison to Harden, who also had more clutch plays late.

Wednesday’s victory was the fifth straight for the Rockets (8-3), and it drops Leonard’s Clippers (7-4) a game behind Houston in the current Western Conference standings. Harden is averaging an astonishing 41.6 points per game during the five-game winning streak, raising his 2019-20 season average to an NBA-leading 38.2 per game.

The league’s reigning scoring champion led the way, but Harden certainly had plenty of help (box score) in the statement win over another West contender. Other highlights included 17 points from Westbrook, a third consecutive 20-rebound game from center Clint Capela, and strong perimeter defense by Tucker and Austin Rivers.

The Clippers’ total of 93 points was the fewest allowed by Houston this season. Opponents have not exceeded 100 in three games of the current five-game winning streak, and the Rockets have the NBA’s top-rated defense in that stretch.

In a potentially ominous development for the defense, Capela left Wednesday’s game in the fourth quarter after his head was hit in a collision with Clippers big man JaMychal Green. Team officials said postgame that they did not know whether Capela had suffered a concussion. If he did, that could make for a challenging back-to-back on Friday at home versus Indiana and Saturday at Minnesota.

Capela’s condition and status for those games will likely be updated at Thursday afternoon’s team practice in Houston.

Tyson Chandler finished Wednesday’s game in Capela’s absence, posting an impressive nine rebounds in 16 minutes and punctuating the victory in the final minute with a reverse jam on a lob — naturally, from Harden after stealing the ball from Leonard.

At 37 years old and in his 19th NBA season, however, Chandler is not a likely candidate for an expanded role if Capela misses time moving forward. The Rockets would likely need to turn to third-year center Isaiah Hartenstein in such a scenario.

Wednesday’s game finished with playoff intensity, and the two rivals won’t have to wait long for the rematch — which comes next Friday, Nov. 22, in Los Angeles. That game could feature a new star duo of Leonard and fellow offseason addition Paul George, who is expected to make his Clippers debut this Thursday in New Orleans.

The Rockets also weren’t close to full strength Wednesday, with wing players Eric Gordon and Danuel House Jr. each out with injuries.

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James Harden heats up late as Rockets win fourth straight game

James Harden had 19 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Houston Rockets won their fourth straight game on Monday in New Orleans.

Superstar Houston Rockets guard James Harden was named Western Conference Player of the Week earlier Monday, and he followed that up with 39 points and nine assists just a few hours later in New Orleans as the Rockets defeated the Pelicans, 122-116 (box score).

It’s the fourth straight win for the Rockets, who are now a season-best four games over .500 at 7-3. With the loss, the Pelicans fall to 2-8.

Harden started cold with just 2 points in the first quarter and hit only 3-of-11 (27.3%) on three-pointers, down from 43.1% over his last three games. But the former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) got going by attacking the rim, with 10 makes in 14 attempts inside the arc.

Of Harden’s 39 points, 28 came in the second half and 19 in the fourth quarter. In one sequence, he scored 15 consecutive Houston points.

Russell Westbrook had 26 points (11-of-21 shooting) and was especially strong on mid-range shots, while starting center Clint Capela grabbed 20 rebounds for a second consecutive game.

Capela also recorded 20+ rebounds in consecutive games last season. Prior to that, the last Rockets player to do so was Charles Barkley — way back in November 1996.

Eric Gordon posted by far his most efficient game of the season off the Houston bench, scoring 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 4-of-7 (57.1%) from three-point range. The Rockets especially needed Gordon’s contributions after starting small forward Danuel House Jr. left the game early with a back contusion.

The Pelicans were led by 24 points from veteran guard J.J. Redick, who hit 7-of-15 (46.7%) from three-point range.

After Monday’s win, the Rockets flew back to Houston, where they will host the Los Angeles Clippers (6-3) on Wednesday. With Kawhi Leonard and potentially Paul George leading the visitors, the Rockets could certainly use House’s athleticism and defensive versatility. In postgame remarks, head coach Mike D’Antoni said House “should be okay,” but did not commit to his immediate availability.

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