Tag: John Wall

Stephen Silas: Kevin Porter Jr. showing he’s not afraid of big moments

“He’s not afraid of that moment,” head coach Stephen Silas said of Porter. “He’s not going to back down in that situation.”

On paper, second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t have massive numbers in Wednesday’s surprising victory by the Houston Rockets. However, the talented prospect came through when it mattered most.

With the Rockets holding a five-point lead late, Porter rejected a shot by Dallas forward Dorian Finney-Smith before chasing down the loose ball and throwing it down for a dunk in transition. That put the Rockets (14-37) up by three possessions with a minute left, effectively sealing the game for a statement win versus in-state rival Dallas (28-22).

In postgame comments, head coach Stephen Silas and backcourt mate John Wall said they weren’t surprised by Porter’s big play.

Silas on Porter:

He’s not afraid of that moment. He’s not going to back down in that situation.

Wall on Porter:

People enjoy playing with him. I think he looks up to me a lot. I tell him all the time, you’re just as talented as me, you got so much potential in this league. …

My job is to try to help him out as much as possible. Kevin Porter is a great talent. I’ve been watching him since high school. I know how much talent he’s got. And I’m just trying to help him be a great professional, that’s all.

In all, Porter tallied 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists over 31 minutes versus the Mavericks. The 6-foot-4 guard was quite efficient, as well, shooting 5-of-9 overall (55.5%) and 2-of-5 on 3-pointers (40.0%).

Nonetheless, it was the key defensive play by Porter — and his flair for the dramatic — that proved to be the most impressive and impactful. Like many young players, Porter has had his share of lowlights on defense, but his statement block offered hope that better days are ahead.

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John Wall scores game-high 31 in return as Rockets shock Mavs

Wall had a game-high 31 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals as the Rockets (14-37) stunned the visiting Mavericks (28-22) in Houston.

When five-time All-Star guard John Wall went down with a midseason injury for a rebuilding Houston Rockets squad, many assumed that the 30-year-old might shut things down and begin preparing for the 2021-22 season. Reports emerged that a knee scope was a possibility.

As for Wall himself, he had other ideas.

In Wednesday’s shocking 102-93 victory (box score) over visiting Dallas, Wall led the way with a game-high 31 points, 7 assists, and 4 steals, and the Rockets were +22 in the 34 minutes that he played. Finally, it was Wall’s return to the court after missing four games due to injury.

Among his postgame comments:

We respect our coach, and guys in the locker room respect each other. We knew we were a good team early on, but there were a lot of injuries. One thing about this team, we never quite fighting. I love the group of guys I play with. We went on a 20-game losing streak, but none of us never blamed each other. We just tried to fight through and stick together as a family, and try to get through it.

Yeah, I’ve been banged up with a couple injuries, but whenever I can be out here and compete with my guys, that’s what I want to do. A lot of people thought that I was going to sit the rest of the season out because we don’t have a chance to make the playoffs, but I love the game too much. I’ve been out for two years (injured). I love the city I’m playing for, and I love the group of guys I’ve got as my brothers. I’m gonna continue to fight until the wheels fall off.

With Wednesday’s victory, the Rockets secured the 2020-21 season series against their Texas rivals by a 2-1 margin. Star center Christian Wood supplemented Wall’s big night with another double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds, and five made 3-pointers) while frontcourt mate Kelly Olynyk had 10 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.

Meanwhile, strong perimeter defense from the likes of Wall, Kevin Porter Jr., Sterling Brown, and Jae’Sean Tate helped limit Dallas superstar Luka Doncic to a subpar 9-of-23 shooting performance (34.6%).

The loss for Dallas (28-22) snapped a season-long winning streak of five games, while the Rockets (14-37) won for just the third time in 30 games. For the Mavericks, it’s a painful loss as they jockey for playoff positioning in the tightly packed Western Conference. For Houston, it’s a confidence-building win in a rocky and injury plagued season.

See below for a compilation of highlights and postgame reaction. Houston returns to action on Friday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles, with tipoff scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Central.

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John Wall returns to Rockets, isn’t planning knee scope at this time

Wall says his recent absences were not just due to his knee, but also because of other issues involving his hip and hamstring.

Veteran guard John Wall missed the last four games for Houston with what the Rockets listed as “left knee effusion,” and media reports have indicated that he’s likely to eventually have the knee scoped.

However, the five-time All-Star isn’t willing to go there just yet. In comments at Wednesday’s shootaround, Wall said he expects to play later in the day versus Dallas and is not currently planning a procedure.

“Not right now. If I did, I probably would’ve done it by now,” said Wall, who was asked if he thought a cleanup procedure was needed. “I’m able to still play. That’s not really what was keeping me out [of games].”

Regarding his knee specifically, and the effusion issue, Wall said:

The fluid is just going to be there. I got hit — people saying it’s a non-contact injury — whenever I got hit in that area, there’s inflammation. The training staff created a little pad to put in that area, so [that] when I play, it won’t swell up. It’s the same spot I got hit in 2018, when I had to get a scope to get it cleaned out. But the inflammation has been there.

It’s been there almost since I got hit in the Lakers’ game early in the year. But it’s not really bothering me. I can play through that. It was more so the tightness in my hamstring and my hip contusion that was bothering me.

Wall explained that his recent absences were not solely due to the knee, but also unrelated issues involving his hip and hamstring.

“I’m feeling cool,” Wall said. “It’s been a couple nagging injuries, having a hip contusion. In Minnesota, I fell on my hip and that was sore. We were playing Memphis and I fell. In the first quarter going for a rebound, KJ [Martin] knocked me and I fell right on that same spot and it was hard to run. Then dealing with some tightness in the back of my hamstring area. Dealing with both of those was very difficult.”

For the NBA’s 2020-21 season as a whole, Wall is averaging 20.2 points and 6.8 assists in 31.8 minutes per game. But he clearly struggled since bruising his knee in early March, shooting just 31.5% from the field and 24.4% on 3-pointers over his next seven games before finally shutting things down. Starting Wednesday night versus the Mavericks, Wall will look to put those issues behind him.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsOyxgqzMCM

Mavericks at Rockets: Wednesday’s lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

John Wall (left knee effusion) and Kristaps Porzingis (right wrist sprain) are each listed as questionable for the Dallas-Houston clash.

The rebuilding Rockets have been close to a statement victory in recent days, even taking Phoenix down to the final possession on Monday. Two nights later, Houston will have a new opportunity when another probable Western Conference playoff team visits Toyota Center.

Led by Luka Doncic, Dallas won’t make it easy. The Mavericks enter Wednesday’s game playing some of their best basketball of the 2020-21 season, with five straight victories by an average margin of 13.8 points per game. That includes an impressive 111-103 victory on Monday versus Utah, which has the NBA’s best overall record.

Though Houston shouldn’t be a tough matchup on paper, the Mavs have every incentive to avoid taking the Rockets lightly. At No. 7 in the West standings, Dallas is just two games back of Portland for the No. 6 spot — which is the final confirmed seed for the 2021 playoffs. Teams from No. 7 through No. 10 are subject to the new play-in tournament.

Both teams have a lengthy injury report. John Wall (left knee effusion) is questionable to return after missing the last four games, while Avery Bradley is probable with right knee soreness. As expected, Danuel House Jr. (right ankle), David Nwaba (right wrist), Dante Exum (right calf), and Eric Gordon (right groin) remain sidelined by longer-term injuries.

As for the Mavs, big man Kristaps Porzingis (right wrist sprain) is questionable for Wednesday, as are Maxi Kleber (right lower leg soreness) and Trey Burke (left calf strain). Per head coach Rick Carlisle, Porzingis is trending toward playing in Houston. JJ Redick (right heel soreness), Willie Cauley-Stein (health and safety protocols), and Tyrell Terry (personal reasons) are all listed as out.

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Here’s when you should tune in to see Wednesday’s game:

  • Date: Wednesday, April 7
  • Time: 7 p.m. Central
  • TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
  • Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (13-37)

  • Guard: John Wall
  • Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Forward: Sterling Brown
  • Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
  • Center: Christian Wood

Dallas Mavericks (28-21)

  • Guard: Luka Doncic
  • Guard: Josh Richardson
  • Forward: Dorian Finney-Smith
  • Forward: Maxi Kleber
  • Center: Kristaps Porzingis

The Rockets will also remain without recent signing Armoni Brooks, owing to the league’s COVID-19 protocols for this season. Since Brooks wasn’t with an NBA club in recent weeks, he will need to test negative for several days before he can be cleared to join team activities. Silas estimated earlier in the week that Brooks could join them by Thursday.

On the other hand, fellow newcomer DaQuan Jeffries likely will be available, since he was in the testing protocol with Sacramento.

Wednesday’s game is the third and final meeting between the Texas rivals this season. The Mavericks won the first meeting on Jan. 4 in Houston, but the Rockets returned the favor with a 25-point blowout at Dallas on Jan. 23. This final matchup was rescheduled from Feb. 19 due to the Texas winter storm, which caused widespread power outages.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Pelicans at Rockets: Sunday’s lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are questionable for New Orleans, while Houston is listing John Wall (left knee effusion) as out.

The Houston Rockets will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night at Toyota Center. With under 24 hours until tipoff, what’s less clear is whether many of the biggest marquee names will play.

The Pelicans (21-27), who enter coming off two straight losses, have three big names who are listed as questionable to play on the official injury report: Zion Williamson (right thumb sprain), Brandon Ingram (right toe inflammation), and Lonzo Ball (right hip flexor strain). Ingram was an NBA All-Star in 2020, while Williamson earned the honor this year.

Meanwhile, the Rockets (13-35) — who have lost their last three straight — will be without John Wall (left knee effusion) for a third consecutive game. Christian Wood is not listed on Houston’s injury report, which indicates that he will play despite limping off late Friday in Boston.

The Pelicans are 1.5 games behind Golden State for the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference, which is the final berth in the West’s play-in tournament to qualify for the 2021 playoffs. Thus, they should be highly motivated to snap their recent slide against a weaker opponent on paper.

The projected lineups below assume that “questionable” names will play. Here’s when you should tune in to see Sunday’s game:

  • Date: Sunday, April 4
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. Central
  • TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest Alternate (SW2)
  • Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (13-35)

  • Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Guard: Sterling Brown
  • Forward: Danuel House Jr.
  • Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
  • Center: Christian Wood

New Orleans Pelicans (21-27)

  • Guard: Nickeil Alexander-Walker
  • Guard: Eric Bledsoe
  • Forward: Brandon Ingram
  • Forward: Zion Williamson
  • Center: Steven Adams

It’s the first game of a back-to-back for the Rockets, who host Phoenix on Monday night. That could be why Wall is listed as out, rather than the “questionable” designation that he received before missing the previous two games. In short, if Houston was to bring Wall back, it likely wouldn’t make sense to do so with two games looming over a 24-hour span.

In addition to Wall, Houston’s injury report includes Eric Gordon (groin), David Nwaba (wrist) and Dante Exum (calf), who all remain sidelined by longer-term injuries. Besides the questionable names, New Orleans is listing Josh Hart as out (right thumb sprain) and Kira Lewis Jr. (right calf strain) as doubtful for Sunday night at Toyota Center.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Rockets at Celtics: Friday’s lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

Boston won convincingly last month in Houston, but Christian Wood, Danuel House Jr., and John Wall didn’t play in that game.

The Rockets wrap up a two-game East Coast road trip on Friday night in Boston. The Celtics (23-25) enter with back-to-back losses and seven in their past 10, so they should be very incentivized versus the rebuilding Rockets (13-34) to try and get a disappointing season back on track.

The Celtics came into the 2020-21 season with goals of contending, but they’re currently below .500 and in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference — which would force them to win a play-in tournament game just to qualify for the playoffs. Needless to say, for a team led by an All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, that’s not where general manager Danny Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens expected to be.

Boston won convincingly last month in Houston, but the Rockets were without Christian Wood, Danuel House Jr., and John Wall in that game due to various injuries. Wood and House are expected to start Friday, while Wall is questionable with left knee effusion. Thus, even with the Rockets now in something of a rebuilding mode, they should be a tougher opponent for Boston than the version seen in mid-March. (At the time, Houston was in the middle of its historic 20-game losing streak.)

Wall did practice on Thursday, but head coach Stephen Silas indicated that he was operating at roughly three-quarters of his usual speed.

Here’s when you should tune in to see Friday’s game:

  • Date: Friday, April 2
  • Time: 6:30 p.m. Central
  • TV Channel: AT&T SportsNet Southwest
  • Live stream: fuboTV (watch for free in Houston markets)

Probable starting lineups

Houston Rockets (13-34)

  • Guard: Kevin Porter Jr.
  • Guard: Sterling Brown
  • Forward: Danuel House Jr.
  • Forward: Jae’Sean Tate
  • Center: Christian Wood

Boston Celtics (23-25)

  • Guard: Kemba Walker
  • Guard: Marcus Smart
  • Forward: Jaylen Brown
  • Forward: Jayson Tatum
  • Center: Moritz Wagner

In addition to Wall, Houston’s injury report includes Eric Gordon (groin), David Nwaba (wrist) and Dante Exum (calf), who all remain sidelined by longer-term injuries. For the Celtics, Tristan Thompson (health and safety protocols) and Semi Ojeleye (left side strain) are out.

Though the Rockets enter coming off consecutive losses to Memphis and Brooklyn, Houston was extremely competitive in both outings, having led in the fourth quarter of each game. Facing a squad in Boston that has a worse record than either the Grizzlies or Nets, the Rockets will be looking to put four full quarters together at TD Garden.

Note: This post first appeared on Rockets Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Rockets guard John Wall sidelined by left knee injury, outlook unclear

Previous reports had indicated that Wall would likely undergo a scope on that knee at some point, though the timetable isn’t clear.

Houston Rockets guard John Wall did not play in Wednesday’s game at Brooklyn with what the team referred to as “left knee effusion,” and his return timetable is unclear, per head coach Stephen Silas.

For Wall, the issue traces back to a practice collision in Sacramento on March 10, just as the team was preparing to resume play out of the All-Star break. Wall missed five games with the injury, and multiple reports indicated that he plans to eventually have that knee scoped — which could end his 2020-21 season prematurely.

After missing five games with the injury, Wall then played in seven straight for the Rockets, including a pair of back-to-backs. However, he shot just 31.5% from the field and 24.4% on 3-pointers over that period, which are well below his norms. In pregame comments, Silas admitted that the injury was evident in some of Wall’s on-court movements.

[mm-video type=video id=01f1nfk468mdxx7mnj playlist_id=none player_id=01f1jxkahtwnvzepyp image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f1nfk468mdxx7mnj/01f1nfk468mdxx7mnj-9c80ea4b55dee6bf5b72527f22805367.jpg]

While Silas left the door open for Wall to potentially return as early as Houston’s next game on Friday in Boston, he was very non-committal on the future. When asked if the knee might need a procedure, Silas said:

I don’t know the answer to that. I just know that it’s been bothering him. It bothered him yesterday to the point where he wasn’t able to [practice]. We had an optional thing yesterday, and he didn’t want to do it. Most guys were in it, but he didn’t want to because of his injury. I don’t know what it really looks like, to be honest.

I think you can look out there and tell that that, you know, he’s moving a little bit slower. He’s trying as hard as he can to fight through this injury, but it remains to be seen, as far as the next step, or how long it’ll be. Hopefully it’ll be just tonight, and he’ll play in Boston.

A five-time All-Star over his distinguished career, Wall is averaging 20.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 31.8 minutes per game. Now 30 years old, it’s his first NBA season with the Rockets after a decade in Washington.

With Wall sidelined, the Rockets started Kevin Porter Jr., Sterling Brown, Danuel House Jr., Jae’Sean Tate, and Christian Wood in Brooklyn.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoXHkMofQpc

Kevin Porter Jr. makes epic return as Rockets get revenge in Minnesota

In a convincing win for Houston, Porter scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%) from the field, including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers.

One night after a historic collapse versus the NBA’s worst team by record, the Houston Rockets got some revenge on that same floor.

Even with star center Christian Wood sidelined with a sore right ankle, the Rockets cruised past the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, 129-107 (box score). Houston scored 41 points in the first quarter and raced out to a 29-point lead before halftime. It was a stark contrast from Friday, which represented only the fourth NBA game in the last 25 years in which a team went scoreless over the final 7:30 of the fourth quarter.

For the Rockets (13-32), who were on a historic 20-game losing streak earlier in the week, it’s their second victory in four games since. With the win, Houston increased its lead over Minnesota (11-35) to 2.5 games in the race to avoid last place in the Western Conference.

After missing the last three games with right quad soreness, second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. returned and scored a team-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%), including 3-of-5 on 3-pointers (60.0%). Part of the motivation behind Thursday’s decision to trade Victor Oladipo was reportedly to give Porter a consistent role as a starter, and the 20-year-old took full advantage in his first opportunity since the deal.

Another standout was newly acquired big man Kelly Olynyk, who started in place of Wood for his Houston debut and had 16 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers), 4 assists, and 3 steals in 25 minutes. DJ Augustin added 20 points and 4 assists in 24 minutes off the bench, while Sterling Brown scored 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting (66.7%) on 3-pointers. Veteran floor general John Wall had 13 points and a game-high 12 assists.

Star center Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while rookie Anthony Edwards also scored 27. However, the majority of those points came in extensive garbage time, with the Rockets in complete control over the game’s final three-plus quarters.

The Rockets will return to action when Memphis visits Houston’s Toyota Center on Monday night. For now, here’s a look back at highlights and postgame reaction from Saturday night in Minneapolis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFm4qJGDIpQ

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In battle of NBA’s worst, Rockets lament historic collapse at Minnesota

For those wanting superior draft-lottery odds, Friday’s stunning collapse by Houston versus the NBA’s worst team could prove beneficial.

In a battle of the NBA’s two worst teams by record, and with draft-lottery odds arguably the biggest prize, the Rockets pulled off a nearly impossible loss by going scoreless over Friday’s final seven-plus minutes in Minnesota. Houston has now lost 22 of its last 23 games, overall.

A jumper from DJ Augustin put Houston up 16 with 7:31 left in the game, and they were then outscored 22-0 the rest of the way in a stunning 107-101 victory (box score) for the Timberwolves. With the win, Minnesota improved to 11-34, which puts the Rockets (12-32) within range of the league’s worst mark — and with a rematch looming in under 24 hours.

Per ESPN Stats & Info, Houston is just the fourth NBA team over the last 25 years to go scoreless over the last 7:30 of a game.

Star center Karl-Anthony Towns was the clear standout for Minnesota with 29 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists, while his counterpart, Christian Wood, led the Rockets with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

John Wall dished out a season-high 15 assists, but he shot just 6-of-25 (24.0%) from the field and went 0-of-6 in the decisive and isolation-heavy fourth quarter. Wall also had a game-high seven turnovers.

Augustin added 13 points off the bench for Houston, while starting forwards Sterling Brown (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Jae’Sean Tate (10 points, 7 rebounds) each scored in double-figures. With Danuel House Jr. out for personal reasons, Ben McLemore started in his place and scored a season-high 21 points on 7-of-14 (50.0%) from 3-point range.

Houston and Minnesota will play again on Saturday night, also at Target Center in Minneapolis. For now, here’s a look at highlights and postgame reaction following night one of the back-to-back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAC0j-nu-0Q

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Stephen Silas and John Wall shared an awesome moment after Rockets snapped 20-game skid

This win must have felt amazing.

On Sunday, Houston Rockets first-year head coach Stephen Silas could barely control his emotions during his postgame press conference moments  after his team had lost its 20th straight game.

On Monday night, those frustrations came to an end as Silas and the Rockets went out on their home floor and snapped their losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors, 117-99.

Now that must have felt pretty darn awesome.

John Wall led the way for Houston, as he finished with a tripe-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists).

After the final whistle Wall found his head coach and the two shared a big hug, which was pretty great:

I mean, look at these photos:

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Silas was much happier in this press conference:

https://twitter.com/MarkBermanFox26/status/1374203614110044164

Too good.

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