Tag: David Nwaba

Stephen Silas blasts ‘mindset’ of Rockets after eighth straight loss

“It’s a pride thing. It’s a togetherness thing. It’s not even an attention to details thing, or a scheme thing. It’s a mindset thing.”

The Houston Rockets entered Monday hoping that unexpected time off (thanks to two postponements related to a winter storm) could allow them to hit the reset button after a long losing streak.

Against Zach LaVine and the surging Bulls, it didn’t quite happen that way. Sparked by a 46-point eruption in the third quarter, Chicago (14-16) won for the fourth time in five games with Monday’s 120-100 blowout (box score) at Toyota Center. It’s the eighth straight loss for the Rockets (11-18), all since the reinjury to Christian Wood’s right ankle.

The last time Houston had a longer losing streak than eight games was a 15-gamer early in the 2000-01 season.

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LaVine led Chicago’s balanced effort with 21 points, and he hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range (66.7%). Meanwhile, backcourt mate Coby White scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. David Nwaba led Houston with 22 points, which tied a career-high, and 9 rebounds.

The Rockets were again undermanned, with two starters absent in Wood and Victor Oladipo (right foot strain). Yet, the regulars who did play weren’t close to good enough. Veteran guard John Wall (15 points, 7 assists) shot just 4-of-14 overall (28.6%), while backcourt Eric Gordon (13 points) shot 5-of-18 (27.8%) and 1-of-10 on 3-pointers (10.0%).

Houston returns to action on Wednesday in Cleveland, with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central time. For now, here’s a collection of highlights and postgame reaction from Monday’s poor showing.

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Rockets reaction: John Wall, Eric Gordon not enough in loss to DeMar DeRozan, Spurs

John Wall and Eric Gordon combined for 53 points on 56% shooting, but Victor Oladipo’s 9 points on 29% shooting proved tough to overcome.

Rockets guards John Wall and Eric Gordon combined for 53 points on 56.3% shooting, but the third member of Houston’s backcourt trio didn’t have a similar contribution in Saturday’s 111-106 home loss (box score) to San Antonio. DeMar DeRozan led the Spurs with 30 points.

Victor Oladipo scored just 9 points on 4-of-14 shooting (28.6%), and his unnecessary foul with 3:01 left in the fourth quarter allowed San Antonio to quickly tie the game after the Rockets had taken their first (and only) lead. After those two free throws by Jakob Poeltl, DeRozan scored the next seven points as the visitors pulled away at Toyota Center.

With star big man Christian Wood out indefinitely with an ankle injury, DeMarcus Cousins had 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks as Wood’s replacement in the starting lineup. Yet, the Rockets clearly missed Wood’s athleticism on defense and as a roll threat on offense.

In his return from a three-game absence due to his own ankle sprain, defensive ace David Nwaba had 14 points and 5 points in 22 minutes off the bench, shooting 6-of-7 from the field (85.7%). Yet, it wasn’t enough to offset Oladipo’s struggles for the Rockets — especially when considering the big game on the other side from DeRozan.

It’s was only the second loss for the Rockets (11-11) in their last nine games. Yet, it could potentially be a meaningful one, since it allowed the Spurs (13-10) to stay ahead of Houston in the Southwest Division and clinch the potential tiebreaker by securing the regular-season series, 2-1.

See below for select highlights and postgame reaction. The Rockets return to action on Monday in Charlotte for what will be the first game of a road back-to-back, concluding in New Orleans the next day.

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Rockets injury updates: David Nwaba returns, John Wall plays through back spasms

Nwaba returned after missing three games with an ankle sprain, while Wall has suffered through back spasms since a rough fall in Memphis.

After missing three games with a sprained left ankle, defensive ace David Nwaba returned to the Houston Rockets for Saturday’s home game at Toyota Center versus division rival San Antonio.

A 6-foot-5 swingman, Nwaba is averaging 8.6 points (47.5% FG, 28.2% on 3-pointers), 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 22.6 minutes per game this season. For the 2020-21 season as a whole, the 28-year-old has the best overall net rating of any rotation player with the Rockets.

Meanwhile, point guard John Wall was in Houston’s starting lineup after being listed as questionable (back spasms) going into the game.

Wall said he injured his back after taking a hard fall during Thursday’s victory at Memphis. He stayed in the game and downplayed the injury in postgame comments, but he was shown moving gingerly and with an apparent heat pack on the area during timeouts. Head coach Stephen Silas said told reporters before Saturday’s game that Wall’s back was “still kind of spasming and whatnot,” adding that the Rockets wanted to see how the 30-year-old responded to treatment and a pregame workout.

The Rockets entered Saturday with a 9-4 mark when Wall plays, including 7-0 when he plays without James Harden. However, they are just 2-6 in games that Wall has missed, making his availability a key concern. That’s especially the case now, given Christian Wood’s indefinite absence.

Saturday’s game against the Spurs tipped off at 7:00 p.m. Central. It’s the start of tough stretch of three games in four nights for the Rockets, who visit Charlotte and New Orleans on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Wall was already likely to miss one of those two games for planned maintenance, which could give him a chance to rest his back, as well.

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David Nwaba likely to miss games for Rockets due to ankle sprain

Nwaba, who has become one of Houston’s most important defensive players, sprained his left ankle late in Saturday’s win at New Orleans.

The Houston Rockets are likely to be without defensive ace David Nwaba for Monday and Wednesday’s games in Oklahoma City due to a sprained left ankle, head coach Stephen Silas said at Sunday’s practice. Nwaba rolled his ankle late in Saturday’s victory at New Orleans.

“He won’t be out for too, too long,” said Silas, who identified Ben McLemore as a short-term candidate to replace Nwaba’s minutes. Silas said that trimming his rotation from 10 players to nine is also an option.

A 6-foot-5 swingman, Nwaba is averaging 8.6 points (47.5% FG, 28.2% on 3-pointers), 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 22.6 minutes per game this season. After Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, the 28-year-old has the best overall net rating of any rotation player with the Rockets.

Led by strong defenders such as Nwaba, Houston entered Sunday with the NBA’s No. 2 defense since their Jan. 13 agreement to trade James Harden. The Rockets are 6-3 over that span. Prior to the blockbuster deal, Houston went 3-6 with the No. 22 unit by defensive rating.

By FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR metric, Nwaba grades out as one of the NBA’s elite defensive players. Silas has become increasingly reliant on Nwaba for his defensive versatility and athleticism, which also allows him to be effective on offense via transition opportunities.

Monday’s game between the Rockets (9-9) and Thunder (8-10) tips off at 7:00 p.m. Central from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Houston enters on a five-game winning streak, which is its longest of the 2020-21 regular season to date.

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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.

 

Since trading James Harden, Houston has NBA’s No. 3 defense

After ranking No. 22 in net defensive rating over the season’s first nine games, the Rockets have improved to No. 3 after trading Harden.

In seven games since the Jan. 13 blockbuster trade sending James Harden to Brooklyn, the Houston Rockets have had the No. 3 defensive rating in the entire NBA, allowing 102.9 points per 100 possessions.

Only the Los Angeles Lakers (102.3) and Clippers (102.7) rank ahead of Houston on the defensive end over that time, and by narrow margins. After starting the season 3-6, the Rockets are 4-3 over that seven-game span, and they haven’t lost since the return of John Wall from injury.

“Our defense is becoming pretty good,” head coach Stephen Silas said after Tuesday’s 107-88 victory over Washington. “On the ball, on pick-and-rolls. The defense was really, really good in the second half.”

The Wizards scored just 36 points in the second half, and they shot below 40% overall and 20% on 3-pointers for the game. As usual, starters such as Wall, PJ Tucker, and Jae’Sean Tate played key roles.

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But Silas also credited his bench for the strong defensive showing, with David Nwaba and Sterling Brown identified as key factors. The Rockets were +20 in the 23 minutes played by Nwaba (11 points) and +22 in the 16 minutes from Brown (8 points), and the 14 combined rebounds between those two swingmen helped Houston overcome a lack of size in the absence of usual starting center Christian Wood (right ankle sprain).

The return of Danuel House Jr. after an extended absence also gave Silas and the Rockets another athletic, versatile defender to deploy.

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Over the last seven games, Houston’s offense ranks only No. 21 in the league, at 107.3 points per 100 possessions. Yet, the defense has been strong enough that the overall net rating is +4.4, which is good for No. 8 overall. Once Wood returns and Wall builds his way up to more minutes, the Rockets have reasons for optimism that the offense will improve.

By contrast, in the nine games (3-6) before the Harden trade, Houston ranked No. 22 in defensive rating (111.1), No. 17 on offense (109.2), and No. 21 overall (-2.0). The slippage on offense after losing an All-Star and perennial MVP candidate is to be expected, but so far, they’re more than making up for it on the defensive end of the floor.

The competition for the Rockets (7-9) gets tougher on Thursday when All-Star guard Damian Lillard leads his Portland Trail Blazers (9-7) into Houston. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central from Toyota Center, with the Rockets looking to build on a three-game winning streak.

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Rockets reaction: Winning streak hits three as John Wall gets revenge

John Wall had 24 points in just 24 minutes against his former team, leading Houston to a decisive 107-88 victory over Washington.

The Rockets (7-9) extended their winning streak to a season-best three games with Tuesday’s commanding 107-88 victory (box score) over the Washington Wizards at Toyota Center. Led by John Wall, Houston took over down the stretch with a decisive 32-18 fourth quarter.

Starting center Christian Wood missed his third consecutive game with a right ankle sprain, but the Rockets still had easily enough to get past the struggling Wizards (3-10) during a choppy game. Houston’s improving defense held Washington to just 36 points in the second half.

For pair of former All-Star guards in Wall and Russell Westbrook, it was their first game against the team that traded them in early December. Westbrook, who was given an in-game tribute video by the Rockets, had 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Wizards.

But Wall got the last word against the franchise that he played his first decade in the NBA with. Wall, who admitted pregame that playing his former team was personal, led the Rockets with 24 points and 5 assists in just 24 minutes, including several buckets during a decisive 10-0 run midway through the fourth quarter as Houston pulled away.

“I just felt like [the Wizards] thought I was done,” Wall said after Tuesday’s big win against his former team. “No matter how much hard work I put in over the summer, they came in and watched me and thought I was done. That’s why I came out here and did what I did.”

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DeMarcus Cousins, who again started in place of Wood, had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Victor Oladipo and Eric Gordon each scored 20, while David Nwaba added 11 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

Bradley Beal scored a game-high 33 points to lead the Wizards, and he shared a postgame embrace with Wall — his longtime teammate.

Here’s a sampling of Tuesday’s highlights and postgame reaction from Toyota Center. The Rockets will return to action in the same building on Thursday night with a game against Damian Lillard and the visiting Portland Trail Blazers (9-7). Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central.

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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:

Media Day highlights: K.J. Martin, David Nwaba, and Ben McLemore

Here are the key storylines from Friday’s interviews (Ben McLemore, David Nwaba, K.J. Martin) at Houston Rockets training camp.

Friday’s interviewees from Houston Rockets training camp were swingman David Nwaba, guard Ben McLemore, and rookie K.J. Martin.

For Nwaba, it was his first interview session since signing with the Rockets in June. Now 27 years old, the 6-foot-5 defensive stopper detailed his ongoing recovery from a torn Achilles, adding that he expects to be ready for the start of the NBA’s 2020-21 season later this month.

For Martin, Friday’s chat was the 19-year-old’s first media availability since being drafted at No. 52 overall. The 6-foot-6 prospect, whose father is Kenyon Martin (an accomplished player and the No. 1 pick in 2000), offered candid thoughts on the role of his NBA lineage; transitioning to the league; and his potential role with the Rockets in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, McLemore shared perspective on how he plans to build off his breakthrough season of 2019-20 — when he led the NBA’s most aggressive team from 3-point range with a 40.0% clip on 3-pointers.

From Twitter, here’s a roundup of the key takeaways from Friday’s media sessions at Toyota Center. The Rockets are still in the “individual workouts” phase of training camp, but they will transition to full group practices on Sunday. All players are expected to be in attendance and available to play at that time, per head coach Stephen Silas.

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