Tag: Eric Gordon

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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James Harden scores 44 to lead Rockets to sixth straight win

Despite several rotation injuries, James Harden scored 44 to lead Houston to a sixth straight win in Friday’s home victory over Indiana.

The Houston Rockets were down two starters and three rotation players due to injuries, facing an opponent in the Indiana Pacers that entered Friday’s game at 7-4 and on a four-game winning streak.

It didn’t matter much in the end, because they had James Harden.

Led by 44 points (13-of-26 shooting, 6-of-14 on three-pointers) in 40 minutes from the NBA’s leading scorer and 2018 Most Valuable Player (MVP), the Rockets used a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Pacers and win their sixth consecutive game.

The 111-102 victory improved the Rockets to 9-3 on the 2019-20 season, which ranks second in the Western Conference.

Harden — who scored 17 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter — also had eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals.

With center Clint Capela (concussion), forward Danuel House Jr. (bruised back), and guard Eric Gordon (knee surgery) all out with various injuries, the Rockets still found a way to win thanks to Harden and key contributions from replacement starters Ben McLemore and Tyson Chandler.

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McLemore made four three-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points, while Chandler had provided strong rim protection and had Houston’s best plus/minus at +24 in his 25 minutes played.

Russell Westbrook had 17 points and a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter, along with eight rebounds and six assists. However, his shooting slump continued with just five makes in 21 attempts.

With Capela unavailable as a rim protector, the Pacers were led by promising young big man Domantas Sabonis, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds (box score). Indiana led by four points with under nine minutes left before Harden led Houston’s decisive run.

Westbrook is likely to sit out during Saturday’s game at Minnesota for planned maintenance, since it’s a back-to-back and he’s still recovering from an offseason knee scope. However, Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said before Friday’s game that House might return for that game, which could help to fill Westbrook’s rotation minutes.

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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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Eric Gordon undergoes right knee arthroscopy, likely out six weeks

The Houston Rockets announced Wednesday that Eric Gordon underwent right knee arthroscopy, performed by Dr. Walter Lowe at Memorial Hermann.

The Houston Rockets announced Wednesday that guard Eric Gordon will miss about six weeks after undergoing right knee arthroscopy.

Six weeks from Wednesday is Dec. 25, which is when the Rockets have a nationally televised game at Golden State as part of the NBA’s annual Christmas Day slate. If Gordon returns on the team’s projected timetable, that would mean he misses 20 games due to the procedure.

Gordon’s procedure was performed by Dr. Walter Lowe of Memorial Hermann. A world-renowned orthopedic surgeon, Lowe is medical director of the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute in Houston, and he serves as team physician for both the Rockets and the NFL’s Houston Texans. According to his biography, Lowe specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of knee, shoulder, and elbow injuries and disorders.

The knee problem may have contributed to Gordon’s much worse than expected start to the 2019-20 NBA season. Through nine games, the 6-foot-3 guard has shot 30.9% overall and 28.4% from three-point range. Both figures are well below the 41.4% and 36.4% percentages logged by the 30-year-old during his first three seasons in Houston.

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“It will clean up some things,” head coach Mike D’Antoni said of Gordon’s procedure, via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “It’s been bothering him actually since the middle of last year. I think he’s actually relieved that he can clean it up, get it going, so he can come back as strong as ever.”

Overall, Gordon averaged 10.9 points and 1.9 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per game during his injury-plagued start to the season.

Gordon’s absence will likely lead to additional minutes in the rotation for 6-foot-3 guard Ben McLemore, who has graded out very well in a limited sample of 15.5 minutes per game.

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Ben McLemore earns opportunity for Rockets with Gordon, House out

With wing players Eric Gordon and Danuel House Jr. injured, 26-year-old Ben McLemore is poised to earn more minutes for the Houston Rockets.

Given the sudden wave of injuries to wing players, Ben McLemore is poised to get his first start for the Houston Rockets in Wednesday’s nationally televised home game versus the Los Angeles Clippers.

The 26-year-old is likely to start at small forward, according to head coach Mike D’Antoni. That’s because Danuel House Jr. is doubtful for Wednesday with a bruised back, while Eric Gordon could miss up to six weeks after undergoing a knee procedure.

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The proposed change would definitely make the Rockets smaller, with the 6-foot-3 McLemore three inches shorter than the 6-foot-6 House. Though McLemore is athletic, that lack of length wouldn’t seem to be ideal against the Clippers, who have a 6-foot-7 superstar at small forward in Kawhi Leonard.

Moreover, McLemore enters the game on something of a cold stretch, having made just 22.7% of his three-pointers over the last four games. For the year, he’s at 31.7% from behind the three-point arc, which is below the NBA average for wing players.

And yet, even with the inconsistent shooting results, the Rockets have clearly been a better team with him on the floor. That helps explain why McLemore, rather than a taller and more proven option in 35-year-old Thabo Sefolosha, is getting the start.

Both McLemore’s defensive rating of 103.1 and overall net rating of 13.5 are the best on the entire Houston roster among players who have averaged at least 15 minutes per game this season. His average plus/minus of +4.4 trails only House.

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In the first six games of the season, when Houston had the league’s second-worst net rating in defense, McLemore averaged 11.9 minutes per game. In the last four games, the Rockets have had the league’s second-best defensive rating — with McLemore averaging 20.9 minutes per game. Houston (7-3) won all four of those contests.

Last week, D’Antoni said this regarding the University of Kansas alum and former No. 7 pick of the 2013 NBA Draft:

Ben, I’m starting to really like him. … His defense and his smartness, and knowing how to [play] vertical and stay in plays … I’m starting to trust him. And he knows when he screws up, and that’s all you can ask. But he’s been good.

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Given his draft slot, McLemore was considered a relative bust with the Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, with whom he averaged 8.8 points in 23.7 minutes per game over his first six NBA seasons. But unlike those two stops, there’s presumably the roster of a title contender around McLemore in Houston, and he’s largely taken advantage through the first 10 games of the 2019-20 season.

It remains to be seen if his early metrics will hold up, once exposed to more minutes. At some point, he likely needs to hit outside shots at a higher clip for those lofty ratings to be sustainable. But as of now, the Rockets have clearly been better with McLemore on the court — and that’s earned him a huge opportunity in the games ahead.

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Report: Eric Gordon could miss up to six weeks after knee procedure

After a slow start to the season, Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon could reportedly miss up to six weeks due to a planned knee procedure.

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon may be looking at an extended absence, as first reported by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

Gordon, who has struggled to find a consistent role with the team so far this season, may need knee surgery that could sideline the 12-year veteran for as long as six weeks, and a month at minimum.

While there’s a chance the Indiana native can avoid it, it seems probable the ex-Hoosier will elect to have a clean-up operation as the team and player search for a solution to his early woes.

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed the injury news at Tuesday’s practice, and indicated that Gordon would, in fact, have the procedure.

If the procedure is greenlighted, it will further solidify fourth-year wing Danuel House Jr.’s role as the team’s starting small forward, one the 6-foot-6 wing has embraced in the wake of one of the worst starts to his teammate’s career.

Gordon, on the other hand, finds himself logging his worst three-point shooting (28.4%) since his inaugural season with the New Orleans then-Hornets, when he managed an abysmal 25% from beyond the arc. He has also put up the worst field goal percentage of his career in nine games so far this season, a mere 30.9%.

Whether or not knee problems are the culprit, it’s hard to imagine a player who has logged a career .372 percentage from three-point range and .426 overall from the floor to remain so cold over the course of a complete season, if fully healthy.

If the Rockets are going to seriously contend for an NBA title this season, they’ll need Gordon as close to that status as possible — and hitting more like he has over the course of his career.

While House has been a pleasant surprise in how well he has adapted to his new role, Houston will need at least some backups to step up, in order to compete against the league’s better teams.

With only Thabo Sefolosha currently available to spell the three in Gordon’s likely extended absence and House navigating injuries of his own, success in a stacked West is predicated on the Indiana product regaining at least some of his shooting touch, and in a hurry.

In the meantime, expect the organization to lean heavily on House when possible, with a big boost to Sefolosha’s minutes in the short-term as the team scrambles to shore up a banged-up wing rotation.

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Rockets list Danuel House Jr. as doubtful for Clippers game

Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. is doubtful for Wednesday’s showdown versus the Los Angeles Clippers with a bruised lower back,

Houston Rockets small forward Danuel House Jr. is doubtful for Wednesday’s home game versus the Los Angeles Clippers due to a bruised back, head coach Mike D’Antoni said at Tuesday’s practice.

The 26-year-old suffered the injury during Monday’s victory at New Orleans when a Pelicans defender attempted to draw a charge. House was in the air on a drive to the basket and fell several feet, with his lower back taking the brunt of the impact.

House stayed in the game to shoot the ensuing free throws and played for much of the first half, but his back stiffened during the halftime break — when the team announced he would not return.

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The native Houstonian is scoring 11.8 points in 29.2 minutes per game this season, including a blistering 45.5% shooting clip on three-pointers. The defensive rating of 104.0 is among the best in Houston’s current rotation, and his 6-foot-6 frame offers valuable length, athleticism, and defensive versatility.

However, the Rockets (7-3) may catch a slight break with House’s probable absence in Wednesday’s showdown. That’s because the Clippers (7-3) are not expected to play superstar forward Paul George, with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reporting that George will make his 2019-20 season debut on Thursday in New Orleans, instead.

As of midday Tuesday, it was unclear if fellow star forward Kawhi Leonard would play, since it’s the first of a back-to-back sequence of games for the Clippers — who to this point have sat Leonard for one game of their back-to-backs this season.

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However, given the controversy (including a fine from the NBA) from last week’s decision to sit Leonard in an ESPN game and considering that Wednesday’s game in Houston is also on ESPN, Clippers coach Doc Rivers could play Leonard in this one as a gesture of good faith.

As for the Rockets, the team is likely to start 6-foot-3 guard Ben McLemore in House’s place. That’s because Eric Gordon, who as recently as last week started at forward over House, is now expected to miss six weeks after undergoing a medical procedure on his knee.

That knee problem may have contributed to Gordon’s much worse than expected start to the 2019-20 season.

With Gordon and House both presumably out, that’s likely to mean more minutes than usual in D’Antoni’s rotation for McLemore, as well as veteran forward Thabo Sefolosha and perhaps rookie guard Chris Clemons off the Houston bench.

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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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Danuel House Jr. exits early for Rockets with bruised lower back

After taking a hard fall in Monday’s first half, Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. did not return after halftime due to a back contusion.

Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. left Monday’s game early against the New Orleans Pelicans with a lower back contusion after falling on it during the first half.

On a drive to the basket, House left his feet and was undercut by a Pelicans defender in a failed attempt to draw a charge.

The 26-year-old shot the ensuing free throws and stayed in the game for several minutes after, but his back apparently stiffened during the halftime break — when the team announced he would not return.

The Rockets play the Los Angeles Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and potentially Paul George in their next game Wednesday back in Houston, so they could definitely use House’s athleticism, length, and defensive versatility, if possible. In postgame remarks, head coach Mike D’Antoni did not commit to House’s potential availability.

Entering Monday’s game, House was scoring 12.9 points per game on 48.7% shooting and a blistering 47.2% clip from three-point range. The native Houstonian has also averaged 5.3 rebounds in his 31.2 minutes, and his net defensive rating of 103.7 is the best of any player in Houston’s current rotation.

Head coach Mike D’Antoni announced before Saturday’s game in Chicago that he was sticking with House as his starter at small forward, even after the return of Eric Gordon from an injury absence. When House did not start the second half, D’Antoni went with Ben McLemore rather than Gordon for a starting lineup replacement, which would seem to indicate a desire to keep Gordon in a bench role.

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