Tag: Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon sits out with knee soreness in Oklahoma City

Rockets guard Eric Gordon is expected to sit out Thursday’s road game with knee soreness, but Mike D’Antoni says it isn’t a big concern.

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon will sit out Thursday’s game at Oklahoma City with right knee soreness, per a pregame announcement. He was first listed on the team’s injury report earlier in the day.

It’s the same knee the 6-foot-3 reserve guard had surgery on earlier in the season, and he’s still working his way back into optimal condition.

In an interview Thursday afternoon, head coach Mike D’Antoni referred to Gordon’s soreness as “normal” and “nothing out of the ordinary.”

Gordon did work out on the court at Chesapeake Energy Arena before Thursday’s nationally televised game between the Rockets (25-11) and Thunder (21-16), but Houston appears poised to play it safe with Gordon coming off an extended absence of more than six weeks.

Per D’Antoni, Gordon reported some soreness in the knee after Wednesday’s game in Atlanta, when he scored 17 points in 30 minutes during a 122-115 Houston victory. The 31-year-old helped secure the game with a big 3-pointer with just over two minutes left.

Since returning from surgery on Dec. 29 in New Orleans, Gordon has averaged 15.3 points per game in 27.1 minutes on an efficient 38.7% shooting clip from behind the 3-point arc.

That’s much improved from his production prior to surgery, when Gordon averaged 10.9 points in 29.4 minutes on 28.4% shooting on 3-pointers.

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In Gordon’s absence, reserve guard Ben McLemore could see more playing time. McLemore hit six of nine 3-point attempts at Atlanta on Wednesday night, scoring a bench-high 18 points in the victory.

The Rockets entered Thursday’s game with a three-game winning streak.

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Russell Westbrook to rest in Atlanta, play Thursday vs. Thunder

Russell Westbrook will sit out the first game of this week’s back-to-back, allowing him to play Thursday in his return to Oklahoma City.

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook will sit out Wednesday’s game in Atlanta, allowing him to play Thursday night against his former team in his first return to Oklahoma City.

Head coach Mike D’Antoni previously indicated that the team’s plan is for Westbrook to sit out one game of all back-to-back sequences this season, as part of planned maintenance for the 12-year NBA veteran.

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Now 31 years old, the former MVP and eight-time All-Star had offseason knee surgery and was not a full participant in training camp and preseason activities as he continued that recovery.

At Monday’s team practice in Houston, D’Antoni updated the schedule for Westbrook later this week.

Until now, Westbrook has played in the first game of all Houston back-to-backs while sitting out the second game. But given the spectacle of Thursday’s nationally televised game in Westbrook’s first return to Oklahoma City since the July 2019 trade that sent him to Houston, it’s understandable why this would be an exception to the usual order.

Westbrook indicated at Monday’s practice that Thursday could be a special game for him, given his 11 years playing with the Thunder.

Besides the reunion with his former team, there could also be a competitive reason for the change in plans. The Hawks are 8-28, and the Rockets (24-11) will enter Wednesday’s game coming off four consecutive days of rest — which means they should be significant favorites to win, even without Westbrook.

On the other hand, the Thunder (20-15) would seem to be a much tougher opponent and on the second night of a back-to-back, which could make Westbrook’s contributions more necessary.

In 31 games played this season with the Rockets, Westbrook is averaging 24.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in 35.3 minutes per game.

Like Westbrook, reserve Houston guard Eric Gordon is also 31 years old and coming off recent knee surgery. At Monday’s practice, D’Antoni indicated that Gordon would be available Wednesday in Atlanta to help fill some of Westbrook’s usual minutes and production.

D’Antoni was non-committal on whether Gordon would then be available for the second half of the back-to-back in Oklahoma City on Thursday.

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D’Antoni: Rockets to loosen minutes restriction for Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon is expected to play 30 to 33 minutes against Philadelphia — up from a prior minutes cap of 25 after his return from injury.

In his third game back from knee surgery, the Houston Rockets are easing the minutes restriction on guard Eric Gordon.

Speaking in his pregame media session before Friday night’s home game versus Philadelphia, head coach Mike D’Antoni said Gordon would likely play 30 to 33 minutes against the 76ers. In Gordon’s prior games since returning, he was limited to approximately 25 minutes.

Gordon averaged between 31 and 32 minutes per game in each of his first three seasons in Houston, meaning the latest minutes target is effectively the 31-year-old’s normal use on a per-game basis.

In two games this week since returning Sunday in New Orleans, Gordon is averaging 16 points in 24.2 minutes per game. The 6-foot-3 reserve guard is shooting 52.6% from the field and 58.3% on 3-pointers.

This week’s numbers are much improved relative to Gordon’s nine games this season before the procedure, in which he scored 10.9 points in 29.4 minutes per game. His efficiency was especially dreadful, with shooting percentages of 30.9% overall and 28.4% from 3-point range.

When asked earlier in the week about Gordon’s health, D’Antoni expressed optimism that right knee arthroscopy had fixed the problem.

“He’s going to be the Eric of old, before he was injured halfway through last season,” D’Antoni said. “He’ll be explosive.”

In the 2019 NBA playoffs last spring, Gordon was arguably Houston’s third-best player after James Harden and Chris Paul. In 37.3 minutes per game, Gordon averaged 17.8 points on 44.7% shooting overall and 40.0% on 3-pointers, and his on-ball defense was especially valuable against the likes of Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Golden State’s Klay Thompson.

In 32 games to start this season, Gordon missed 23 of them and was well below his standard in the other nine, likely due to the knee problem. Yet, the Rockets still managed to win 22 of those 32 games — good for a pace of more than 56 wins for a full season, and enough to keep them within a half-game of Denver for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.

Assuming Gordon is now healthy, the Rockets (23-11) are effectively adding a player who was their third-best last postseason to the 2019-20 squad that was already quite competitive in the West this season.

The two-game sample since Gordon’s return remains small, but it’s a key source of optimism for the team as the Rockets enter 2020.

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Eric Gordon becoming more efficient, explosive after surgery

It’s a small sample of two games, but Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon appears significantly improved after his return from knee surgery.

It’s a small sample of two games, but the recent right knee surgery for Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon may already be paying dividends.

In two games this week since returning Sunday in New Orleans, the 6-foot-3 guard is averaging 16 points in 24.2 minutes per game. He’s shooting 52.6% from the field and 58.3% on 3-pointers.

For the time being, head coach Mike D’Antoni is holding the 31-year-old Gordon to an approximate minutes target of 25 per game as he works his way back into playing shape after a layoff of more than six weeks.

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By contrast, in his nine games of the 2019-20 season before the procedure, Gordon scored 10.9 points in 29.4 minutes per game. His efficiency in those nine games was especially dreadful, with shooting percentages of 30.9% overall and 28.4% from 3-point range.

When asked before Tuesday’s win over Denver how Gordon had looked since returning, D’Antoni told Rockets Wire:

Eric’s going to be good. He was playing with a lot of pain before. Some games he was okay with it, and some games it hurt him.

Regarding whether Gordon had regained some of his prior explosiveness before his right knee began bothering him, D’Antoni said:

I don’t know that yet. I think it’s going to take him a while to get that back. But he’s going to be the Eric of old, before he was injured halfway through last season. He’ll be explosive.

Through two games: So far, so good.

In the 2019 NBA playoffs last spring, Gordon was arguably Houston’s third-best player after James Harden and Chris Paul. In 37.3 minutes per game, Gordon averaged 17.8 points on 44.7% shooting overall and 40.0% on 3-pointers, and his on-ball defense was especially valuable against the likes of Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and Golden State’s Klay Thompson.

In 32 games to start this season, Gordon missed 23 of them and was well below his standard in the other nine, likely due to the knee problem. Yet, the Rockets still managed to win 22 of those 32 games — good for a pace of more than 56 wins for a full season, and enough to keep them within a half-game of Denver for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference.

Assuming Gordon is now healthy, the Rockets (23-11) are effectively adding a player who was their third-best last postseason to a squad that was already quite competitive in the West this season.

The two-game sample since Gordon’s return remains quite small, but it would seem to be a very encouraging sign as the Rockets enter 2020.

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Harden, Westbrook lead efficient Rockets in blowout of Denver

Led by 63 points and 13 assists from James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the host Rockets (23-11) crushed Denver (23-10) on New Year’s Eve.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined for 63 points and 13 assists as the Rockets (23-11) crushed the visiting Denver Nuggets (23-10) on New Year’s Eve in Houston, 130-104 (box score).

The win brings the Rockets to within a half-game of Denver for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets cut Houston’s 17-point halftime lead to just three points after the third quarter, but the Rockets put them away with a dominant 38-15 closing period.

Both Harden and Westbrook shot 50% or better from the field, headlined by Harden’s 6-of-9 showing (66.7%) from 3-point range. Harden had 35 points, while Westbrook poured in 28 on 11-of-22 shooting.

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Counting Tuesday’s totals, Harden finished the 2010s decade as the NBA’s leading scorer with 19,578 total points. Next on the list were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Westbrook.

Overall, the Rockets shot 52.9% from the field and 16-of-34 (47.1%) on 3-pointers as Houston closed out 2019 in style.

In addition to the exploits of Harden and Westbrook, reserve guard Eric Gordon maintained his hot shooting since returning from injury by making three of five 3-point attempts (60%).

On the front line, Clint Capela returned from his own multi-game injury absence (heel) with 16 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Meanwhile young seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein continued his recent surge with 16 points and 12 rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench.

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After the game, head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed that Hartenstein — who led the Rockets with a plus/minus figure of +21 in just 18 minutes — had effectively replaced veteran Tyson Chandler as the backup center behind Capela moving forward.

The Nuggets were led by star big man Nikola Jokic with 21 points and eight rebounds, but both Capela and Hartenstein had more rebounds.

The Rockets return to action Friday night with a home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. With the Sixers (23-13) led by All-Star center Joel Embiid, it would seem to benefit the Rockets that both Capela and Hartenstein enter that matchup playing well.

Podcast: On Eric Gordon’s return, growth by Hartenstein, and more

Tuesday’s show analyzes Eric Gordon’s return to the Rockets; a breakout for Isaiah Hartenstein; the coaching of Mike D’Antoni; and more.

Tuesday’s episode of the Locked on Rockets podcast with host Jackson Gatlin and analyst Ben DuBose breaks down the latest developments surrounding the 22-11 team in Houston.

Initial points of discussion include the recent breakout performances by Isaiah Hartenstein. The young seven-footer averaged 14 points (72.2% shooting) and 11 rebounds in 29.3 minutes over two games last weekend, with usual starting center Clint Capela out injured (heel contusion).

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The show explores areas of Hartenstein’s game that stood out, as well as his potential role moving forward and whether there’s any reason to be concerned regarding the looming Jan. 7 date when the 21-year-old will begin out-earning the partial guarantee on his 2019-20 contract.

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Other topics on Tuesday’s podcast include an assessment of Mike D’Antoni‘s coaching and development strategies; the impact of Eric Gordon returning to the Rockets after an absence of over six weeks; and the growing legacy of franchise star James Harden, who is finishing the decade of the 2010s as the NBA’s top scorer. Tune in!

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Gordon sets season high in return, but shorthanded Rockets fall late

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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James Harden sits out in New Orleans with sprained big toe

With James Harden sitting out, the Rockets were down three starters and two future Hall of Famers for Sunday’s game at New Orleans.

The Houston Rockets are without three starters and two future Hall of Famers in Sunday night’s road game at New Orleans.

In addition to Russell Westbrook (rest) and Clint Capela (heel), who were expected to be out, head coach Mike D’Antoni announced pregame that James Harden would also miss the game due to a sprained right big toe.

With both starting guards out, D’Antoni said pregame that Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon would be his starting backcourt. Gordon is returning Sunday after an absence of over six weeks due to knee surgery and was expected to have his minutes limited to around 25.

It’s unclear exactly when Harden suffered the injury. In Saturday’s win at home versus Brooklyn, the former MVP had 44 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and four blocked shots in 40 minutes.

Reporters noted that Harden had a slight limp in the team’s locker room postgame, which potentially traced back to a sequence in the fourth quarter where he slipped and lost his footing. However, it’s not confirmed whether that play was correlated with the toe injury.

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Naturally, Harden still finished the game out. Entering Sunday, Harden had not missed any games of the 2019-20 season for the Rockets.

The Rockets already expected to be shorthanded Sunday due to the losses of Westbrook and Capela. But Harden’s absence is clearly the most significant of all. The 30-year-old easily leads the the league at 38.3 points per game, and he’s also in the top 10 in assists at 7.5.

The Pelicans (10-23) entered Sunday having won four of their last five games. Combine that with the injury absences, and it’s suddenly a much tougher matchup than anticipated for the Rockets (22-10).

Entering Sunday’s games, the Rockets had the third-best record in the Western Conference. They’re only a half-game back of Denver (22-9) for the West’s No. 2 spot, with the Nuggets coming to Houston on Tuesday.

As such, they’d love to be at full strength for that New Year’s Eve game, if at all possible. Westbrook will almost certainly play, since he only sat out Sunday due to planned maintenance on night two of a back-to-back.

Meanwhile, the statuses of Harden and Capela for Tuesday’s showdown will likely be updated at Monday’s practice in Houston.

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Rockets list James Harden as questionable with toe sprain

Houston was already without Russell Westbrook and Clint Capela for Sunday’s game, and now James Harden is questionable with a toe sprain.

Houston Rockets star James Harden is questionable for Sunday night’s game at New Orleans with a sprained right big toe, according to the team’s updated injury report.

It’s unclear when Harden suffered the injury. In Saturday’s win at home versus Brooklyn, the former MVP had 44 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and four blocked shots in 40 minutes.

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Reporters noted that Harden did have a slight limp in the team’s locker room postgame, which potentially traced back to a sequence in the fourth quarter where he slipped and lost his footing. However, it’s unknown whether that was correlated with the toe injury.

Naturally, Harden still finished the game out. Entering Sunday, Harden had not missed any games of the 2019-20 season for the Rockets.

The Rockets were already shorthanded for Sunday’s game, with Russell Westbrook sitting out for planned maintenance on night two of a back-to-back and Clint Capela out with a right heel contusion.

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Needless to say, Harden’s absence would be the most significant of all. The 30-year-old guard easily leads the the league at 38.3 points per game, and he’s also in the NBA’s top 10 in assists at 7.5 per game.

The Rockets will get some backcourt reinforcement for Sunday’s game with the return of Eric Gordon, who has missed over six weeks after undergoing knee surgery. However, Mike D’Antoni indicated Saturday that Gordon would be limited to about 25 minutes and probably would not start. It’s unclear whether Harden’s absence might change that plan.

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The next update on Harden’s status will likely come when D’Antoni meets with the media prior to Sunday’s game. With tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Central in New Orleans, D’Antoni is scheduled to talk with reporters at approximately 5:30 p.m.

The Pelicans (10-23) have won four of five games, so it’s a much more difficult game for the Rockets (22-10) than it might appear on paper. With two starters in Westbrook and Capela already confirmed to be out, Houston probably needs Harden on the floor to remain favorites.

James Harden scores 44 as Rockets hold off Nets with defense

James Harden scored 44 and the Rockets held an opponent below 100 points for the first time since Nov. 13 in Saturday’s win over Brooklyn.

Houston star James Harden had 44 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks as the Rockets used a hot start and strong team defense in Saturday’s second half to defeat visiting Brooklyn, 108-98 (box score).

The Rockets (22-10) held the Nets (16-15) to 44 points in the second half and just 19 in the fourth quarter. It was the first time since Nov. 13 that Houston has held an opponent below 100 points for a game.

Overall, it’s the 11th win in 15 games for the Rockets, who return to action Sunday night in New Orleans for the second game of a back-to-back.

“We were all locked in,” said reserve guard Austin Rivers, who had four big 3-pointers (and 14 points) off the Houston bench and was a part of head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s closing lineup.

“I thought we communicated really well,” Rivers added, referring to the defensive effort. “We were all on the same page. Coming off a really bad loss on Christmas Day [at Golden State], we really wanted to come out on the first night of a back-to-back and get this one.”

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Harden led the way on offense with 44 points on remarkable 17-of-27 shooting efficiency (63.0%), including 6-of-10 from 3-point range (60.0%). But over half of those came in the first quarter, when Harden’s 23-point outburst led the Rockets to an early 42-20 lead.

After the first quarter, the Nets routinely doubled and trapped Harden. It was a similar strategy to what the Warriors used on Wednesday, and it was nearly as effective at times.

Led by 17 points and 11 assists from Spencer Dinwiddie, the Nets came all the way back from down 22 to briefly take a lead early in the fourth quarter. Outside of Harden, the Rockets shot just 7-of-32 (21.9%) on 3-pointers, despite many being wide open.

But unlike the Rockets’ performance on Christmas Day, Houston’s defense was strong enough to keep the game close. And eventually — between a few makes against the Brooklyn zone from Rivers, aggressive moves to the basket by Russell Westbrook, and a late step-back dagger 3-pointer from Harden — the Rockets put the pesky Nets away.

Westbrook, who had 23 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists on Saturday, is not expected to play Sunday in New Orleans on the second half of a back-to-back. However, the Rockets will get reserve guard Eric Gordon back after an absence of over six weeks due to knee surgery.

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Houston is also likely to be without starting center Clint Capela. As expected, Capela missed Saturday’s game with a heel contusion.

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However, reserve seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up against the Nets in a big way with nine points and 13 rebounds in 24 minutes, helping Houston win the rebounding battle against Brooklyn by a 54-47 margin. That’s no small feat, considering the Nets have a front line led by a pair of 6-foot-11 big men in Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan.

The Rockets may need a similar effort from Hartenstein on Sunday against Derrick Favors and the Pelicans, who have now won four of their last five games. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central.

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But even without Westbrook and Capela, Houston will still have the NBA’s 2018 MVP and current scoring leader in Harden.

In many games, that by itself gives the Rockets a good chance.