Tag: Russell Westbrook

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.

Daryl Morey wonders if MVP voters will again ‘rob’ James Harden

Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey said he’s wondering “what new criteria/narrative” could be used by the NBA’s MVP voters to deny James Harden.

Rockets guard James Harden appears well on his way to another historic NBA season, with an astonishing nightly scoring average of 38.2 points over Houston’s first 11 games of the 2019-20 season.

The league-leading numbers from the 30-year-old superstar are even more incredible over the last five games, in which he has posted 41.6 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game. Harden’s Rockets (8-3) have won all five of those games, which currently places them second in the Western Conference standings.

Normally, one might expect the combination of historic numbers and team success to lead to a Most Valuable Player (MVP) coronation.

But Rockets GM Daryl Morey doesn’t seem convinced that Harden’s historic production, should it continue over the remainder of the season, will necessarily translate into appreciation from MVP voters.

While Harden did win the media-voted MVP award in 2018, he has finished in second place after three different votes (2015, 2017, 2019) within the last five seasons. Given that context, Morey responded on Twitter to a post speculating about another second-place finish.

I always try to dream up what new criteria/narrative they will dream up to rob him of the award each year.

The “new criteria” line would appear to be in reference to the discrepancy in voting patterns between the 2017 and 2019 races.

In 2017, when the league’s MVP finalists were clearly Harden and Russell Westbrook (then with Oklahoma City), one of the advantages to Harden’s case on paper was that his contributions came on a superior team — with the Rockets winning eight more games in the 2016-17 regular season than the Thunder.

However, Westbrook was the first NBA player to average a triple-double since Oscar Robertson in the 1961-62 season, and the historic nature of that argument appeared to be most persuasive with voters. Westbrook finished with 69 first-place votes to Harden’s 22.

By contrast, in the 2019 race between Harden and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Harden was the one with history on his side. With an average of 36.1 points, Harden became just the fourth player in league history — and the first in the last 30 years — to average at least 36 points per game for an entire NBA season. He also had a stretch of scoring at least 30 points in 32 consecutive games, which was the second-longest such streak in NBA history.

On the other hand, one of the main arguments for Antetokounmpo, relative to Harden, was that his team won seven more games. Unlike the 2017 vote, team success did seem to be valued at a high level by voters in 2019, and Antetokounmpo won by a comfortable margin.

As for the present, Harden has repeatedly made clear that his “only goal” this season is an NBA title. There have been very little, if any, references to the upcoming MVP race by Houston players.

However, there is understandably some lingering bitterness from many around the Rockets about how prior votes went down.

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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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Report: Portland Trail Blazers to ink unsigned free agent Carmelo Anthony

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony will sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trailblazers have decided to roll the dice on former Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony, according to ESPN senior writer Adrian Wojnarowski.

Anthony spent 2017-18 in Oklahoma City. The Thunder brought Anthony in from the Knicks, but the veteran, who has been accustomed to being the headliner throughout his NBA career, never fully meshed with Russell Westbrook and Paul George. During his stint in OKC, Anthony averaged a career-low 16.2 points.

He last played in the league in the 2018-19 NBA season for the Houston Rockets and has struggled to find a home for the final chapter of his now- 17-year career over the summer.

At the same time, cascading injuries and lofty postseason aspirations combined to push a struggling Portland Trail Blazers franchise to warm to the idea of bringing on Melo, who has been perceived in some circles as resistant to accepting a lesser role as he ages out of a starting one.

Now, standing at 4-8 midway through November, the team has decided that injuries to Jusuf Nurkic and particularly Zach Collins, have stretched the frontcourt rotation too thin, especially at the power forward position.

Anthony, per Wojnarowski, will be brought on to help out in that regard on a non-guaranteed deal and will join the team on their coming road trip. No word on other contract details, though presumably, it will be at the veteran’s minimum given the team’s cap situation.

The stats proved Russell Westbrook’s criticism of Patrick Beverley wrong

Oops.

The Houston Rockets made a statement on Wednesday night by taking down the Los Angeles Clippers (who might be getting Paul George back soon) 102-93.

After the contest, Russell Westbrook took a shot at Patrick Beverley, who he has some history with over the years.

“Pat Bev trick y’all, man, like he playing defense,” Westbrook told reporters after the contest, “He don’t guard nobody, man. He just running around, doing nothing.”

He pointed out that his Rockets teammate James Harden scored 47 points, which is all fine and convenient when you look at the box score.

But how many times was Beverley the one defending Harden?

There’s an answer for that and it proves Westbrook wrong:

What did Beverley say when he was informed about Westbrook’s comments? From ESPN:

“Don’t start that, don’t start that,” Beverley told ESPN as he exited the Clippers’ locker room. “I don’t care about that.”

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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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Russell Westbrook takes postgame swipe at Pat Beverley’s defense

After Wednesday’s win, Rockets star Russell Westbrook took a dig at the defense of longtime rival and current Clippers guard Pat Beverley.

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True to his “Mr. 94 Feet” nickname, Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley spent much of Wednesday night’s game hounding Houston Rockets star James Harden all over the basketball court.

It also wasn’t all that effective. Beverley’s aggressiveness caused him to foul out in just 27 minutes, while Harden led his team to a win by scoring a game-high 47 points on 12-of-26 shooting, including 7-of-13 (53.8%) on three-pointers. The 2018 MVP also had seven assists.

After the game ended, 2017 MVP Russell Westbrook — who now stars alongside Harden in the Houston backcourt — was eager to get in a dig at Beverley, his longtime rival. Westbrook said:

Pat Bev trick y’all man, like he play defense. He don’t guard nobody, man. He’s just running around doing nothing. As you’ve seen what happened, 47. All that commotion to get 47.

Westbrook had 17 points himself in 30 foul-plagued minutes during the 102-93 Houston victory (box score).

The rivalry between the two point guards dates back to the 2013 playoffs, when Beverley — as a member of the Rockets, of all teams — went for the ball after the Thunder had called timeout and collided with Westbrook’s knee, all after the whistle had been blown. It led to a torn meniscus and ended Westbrook’s season early, and tension between the two has lingered for over six years since.

Now Westbrook is in Houston and Beverley is on one of the Rockets’ chief Western Conference rivals, with both 31-year-old guards still in search of their first NBA title.

Wednesday’s victory was the fifth straight overall for the Rockets (8-3), and it drops Beverley’s Clippers (7-4) a game behind in the West standings. If there’s lingering resentment, the rematch is barely over a week away — with Houston visiting Los Angeles next Friday, Nov. 22.

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How to Watch Houston Rockets, NBA Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Houston Rockets Live Online.

Boasting a perennial MVP candidate and one of the most exciting offenses in the NBA, the Houston Rockets come into every season with high expectations. But with the acquisition of one of the game’s most exciting players in the offseason, the expectations surrounding the Rockets may be higher than ever. Can James Harden and Russell Westbrook bring the Rockets to new heights during the 2019-2020 season?

Watch the Houston Rockets 2019-20 Season

Next game: vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. ET 

Local TV affiliate for the season: AT&T SportsNet Southwest

Streaming option for the season: fuboTV (watch for free)

One of the biggest moves of the summer in the NBA was the decision by the Rockets to trade point guard Chris Paul to the Oklahoma City Thunder and to bring in Westbrook. The move reunited Harden and Westbrook, who helped bring the Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012. That was before either player had reached his current status and become a league MVP. The question now is whether or not the two stars can coexist well enough to bring Houston a championship.

Outside of Harden and Westbrook, the rest of the Rockets roster will need to play at a high level on both sides of the court. Shooters like Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson knocking down shots will force defenses not to put too much of their attention on Harden and Westbrook, both of whom are at their best when they have room to operate and get to the basket against overmatched defenders. With offensive expert Mike D’Antoni at the helm, expect the team to find ways to space the floor and get open shots for the supporting cast.

Rockets November 2019 Schedule (All Times ET)

Wed. Nov. 13 vs. Clippers, 7:30 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 15 vs. Pacers, 8:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov 16 @ Timberwolves, 8:00 p.m.

Mon. Nov. 18 vs. Trail Blazers, 8:00 p.m.

Wed. Nov. 20 @ Nuggets, 9:00 p.m.

Fri. Nov. 22 @ Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

Sun. Nov 24 vs. Mavericks, 3:30 p.m.

Wed. Nov 27 vs. Heat, 8:00 p.m.

Sat. Nov. 30 vs. Hawks, 8:00 p.m.

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Chris Paul says NBA teams will do ‘whatever they wanna do’ with trades

Thunder guard Chris Paul spoke on how he felt about being traded from Houston.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul is playing his 15th NBA season, so he’s keen on how teams operate and handle their business.

A nine-time All-Star, Paul recently shed some light on the business of NBA trades with Kevin Hart on the comedian’s YouTube show “Cold as Balls.” Paul also spoke on the trade that sent him from the Houston Rockets to the Thunder during the offseason. 

When Hart asked Paul about how trades go down, Paul stated:

“Every situation is different, but the team is gonna do whatever they wanna do. They’ll tell you one thing and do a smooth other thing.”

Hart then asked Paul about his feelings on being traded from the Rockets. Paul was traded in exchange for Russell Westbrook, two first-round draft picks and the rights to two first-round pick swaps in 2021 and 2025.

“The (general manager) in Houston, he don’t owe me nothin’,” Paul said. “You know what I mean? He may tell me one thing, but do another thing. But you just understand that that’s what it is.”

After the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs in May, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that general manager Daryl Morey had an “aggressive desire” to improve the team.

According to the report, the only player who was relatively untouchable was James Harden, as the likelihood of moving him was “extremely limited.”

Shortly after the ESPN report, Morey said that Houston would keep its “key people” for the 2019-20 season, per RealGM. 

With Paul elaborating on the trade, it shows how the league is a business. Teams, particularly playoff and title contenders, will do anything to improve. That’s why player empowerment is becoming increasingly more important, as players can feel encouraged to choose their own paths.

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Gallery: Russell Westbrook’s bold fashion choices over the years

In honor of Russell Westbrook’s 31st birthday, we’re celebrating the boldest fashion choices by the Houston Rockets star over his NBA years.

Born on November 12, 1988, superstar Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook turned 31 years old Tuesday.

The former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and eight-time All-Star is best known, of course, for his production on the basketball court, where he’s now in his 12th professional season and is a certain Hall of Famer once his playing days are eventually done.

In that capacity, Westbrook had something of an early celebration in Monday night’s win by the Rockets in New Orleans. The 6-foot-3 guard tallied 26 points on 11-of-21 (52.4%) shooting, despite missing seven of eight shots from three-point range. He more than offset his long-range struggles by making 10-of-13 (76.9%) shots inside the arc, including his best performance this season from mid-range areas.

Westbrook also had five steals, four assists, and four rebounds in 35 minutes played during Monday’s game.

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The Rockets — who acquired Westbrook in a blockbuster trade this July — have an off day Tuesday, so the 31-year-old won’t celebrate the night of his actual birthday on the court.

But wherever he is, Westbrook will probably look the part of a global superstar. That’s in large part because of his renowned passion for fashion, both when traveling for NBA business and in leisure time.

In honor of his 31st birthday, here’s a look back at some of Westbrook’s boldest fashion choices over his years in the NBA.

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