Tag: Tyson Chandler

NBA players who never lost with Team USA

Unlike in the last couple of major FIBA tournaments, the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Team USA used to go undefeated in international play. As such, there are various players with long triumphant runs while playing for the red, white and …

Unlike in the last couple of major FIBA tournaments, the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Team USA used to go undefeated in international play.

As such, there are various players with long triumphant runs while playing for the red, white and blue.

However, none of them top Jason Kidd‘s 46-game unbeaten streak while representing his country.

Below, check out the NBA players who never lost as members of Team USA.

Note: For this exercise we took into account competition games in the Olympic Games, World Cup, FIBA Americas tournament and PanAm Games. Only players with at least 15 wins listed.

Breaking down the Nets’ potential replacements for LaMarcus Aldridge

The Nets will be looking to add another player for the playoff run following LaMarcus Aldridge’s retirement.

The basketball world was stunned on Thursday afternoon as 15-year veteran LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement from the NBA due to health concerns. Aldridge revealed that in what will be his final game, he was dealing with an irregular heartbeat, and decided to prioritize his health over basketball. NBA players and fans showed support for the seven-time All-Star on social media following the announcement.

Aldridge will now be placed on waivers upon retiring, which will open up a roster spot for the Brooklyn Nets. Replacing someone with his caliber is almost impossible, but the Nets can add a valuable role player with the free agents that are still available.

What they need right is somebody that can annoy Joel Embiid in the playoffs and somebody that can roll to the basket with ease. If they can shoot, that is a bonus. Here are some potential replacements:

Five most likely candidates to sign with Nets after James Harden trade

The Brooklyn Nets made a huge splash trading for James Harden, though their roster is now very thin so more moves are assuredly coming soon.

The Brooklyn Nets made a huge splash trading for James Harden, but their roster is now very thin so more moves are assuredly coming soon.

After losing Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn especially needs more depth in their frontcourt. The Nets have three available roster spots, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, and still have their mid-level exception available to sign a free agent for up to $5.7 million. They can also sign any player for the league veteran minimum.

The front office may leave an empty roster spot for the buyout market later this season since, as legitimate title contenders, Brooklyn is now one of the more attractive destinations. Our own Yossi Gozlan predicts that they will use their $5.7 million designated player to trade for frontcourt depth.

Otherwise, in the immediate future, fans can expect one of the players we have listed below to sign with the Nets as they aim to restructure their roster on the fly.

As NBA probe lingers, Rockets remain without Danuel House in Game 4

“The investigation is going on,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “When they come out with their ruling, then we’ll go from there.”

Early Thursday, there was optimism that a final ruling on the playing status of Houston forward Danuel House Jr. would come prior to that night’s game. However, that did not come to fruition, and the Rockets remained without their sixth man for a second straight playoff game.

In his pregame media session, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said House remained out, with a qualifier: “As far as I know.”

When asked if he believed House could return at a later date during the second-round series versus the Los Angeles Lakers, D’Antoni said:

I don’t know. The investigation is going on. When they come out with their ruling or whatever, then we’ll go from there.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the league was weighing the imposition of a potential 10-day quarantine period on House, which would likely make him unavailable for the rest of the series. The extended quarantine is due to the potential of a delayed positive test result for COVID-19 among any NBA player or staffer who breaks the “bubble” protocols.

However, the league has yet to make a final ruling on whether House actually broke any of its rules, in large part because all parties involved have consistently denied his involvement.

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Per The Athletic, the NBA has “circumstantial evidence” suggesting that House violated protocols in an incident that took place Monday night at the team’s hotel. However, House denies any wrongdoing, and it seems that the unauthorized female at Houston’s hotel (reportedly a COVID-19 testing official) has denied his involvement, as well.

The circumstantial evidence appears to involve “door data,” referring to a possible opening of the door to House’s hotel room during the time window in question, per the Houston Chronicle‘s Jonathan Feigen.

While testing officials are allowed inside the bubble, they go in and out each day and (unlike players) do not live there. Thus, as with maintenance staff, the NBA has protocols in place to minimize the potential exposure of those workers to personnel living at the bubble. The woman said she had contact with Tyson Chandler (who also sat out Game 3 for personal remains) and another player who wasn’t House, but the NBA’s probe reportedly cleared Chandler and is currently focused on House.

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Regardless of the league’s final decision, the storyline doesn’t appear likely to go away any time soon. Even if House is cleared, the Rockets as an organization would likely be frustrated that he was held out of Game 3 and Game 4 before the NBA’s probe had determined any guilt.

In nine playoff games, the 6-foot-6 House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for Houston’s switch-heavy defense. In Sunday’s Game 2, the 27-year-old had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, and he hit 3-of-7 from 3-point range (42.9%).

With House unavailable during a 10-point loss in Game 3, only one Houston reserve (Jeff Green) scored, and the Los Angeles bench outscored those on the Rockets by a commanding 42-16 margin.

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tipped off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. Houston now trails the West semifinal series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 very important to their chances. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Report: Woman at Rockets’ hotel denies contact with Danuel House

Per The Athletic, there appears to be no video connecting House and the woman, and she denies having been in contact with him.

The woman at the center of the controversy involving Danuel House Jr. denies having been in contact with him on Monday night, according to a new report by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania and Sam Amick.

In the second-round series between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, House missed Game 3 and is currently listed as out for Thursday’s Game 4 due to “personal reasons.” On Wednesday night, those reasons began coming to light, with the NBA probing House for a potential violation of the league’s “bubble” protocols at Disney World.

At Wednesday’s practice, head coach Mike D’Antoni said the Rockets “haven’t heard yet” whether House would be available for Game 4, which seemed to signal that a decision would be coming from the NBA, rather than the team. On Thursday, information leaked that the dispute involves an unauthorized female who entered Houston’s hotel.

Per multiple reports, House has denied any wrongdoing, yet he remains in the NBA’s crosshairs. The Athletic‘s story offers further details:

She exited the hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning, and the league cited early data points that implicated two members of the Rockets, House and Tyson Chandler, sources said. When the woman was questioned by NBA security, she did not implicate House’s name and it is uncertain whether she remains on campus, sources said. She claimed to have contact with Chandler and another player, not named House, according to sources.

According to sources, the Rockets’ entire team had to enter a quarantine period on Tuesday due to the potential exposure. Those sources said there appears to be no video connecting House and the woman; only the flagging of her entering and leaving the hotel, and the possibility of a door opening and closing to match those timelines. The NBA has informed involved parties that it has circumstantial evidence implicating House.

 

Per The Athletic, the investigation cleared Chandler on Wednesday and is now focused on House. However, it is unclear what the “circumstantial evidence” is, and it is also not apparent what other player was named. Both the female (a COVID-19 testing professional, per Yahoo’s Chris Haynes) and House have denied his role. While Chandler missed Game 3 due to this inquiry, he is not on the injury report for Game 4.

While testing officials are allowed inside the bubble, they go in and out each day and (unlike players) do not live there. Thus, as with maintenance staff, the league has protocols in place to minimize the potential exposure of those workers to NBA personnel living at the bubble.

For the Rockets, it’s understandably a frustrating situation, since all parties involved have denied his involvement, and there also does not appear to be any video evidence, according to Charania. It is not clear whether team officials are aware of what the “circumstantial evidence” is.

Per Haynes, a decision on House’s playing status is expected to come on Thursday. ESPN reported on Wednesday that the league was weighing the imposition of a potential 10-day quarantine period on House, which would likely make him unavailable for the rest of the series.

Regardless of the league’s final decision, the storyline doesn’t appear likely to go away any time soon. Even if House is cleared, the Rockets as an organization would likely be frustrated that he was held out of Game 3 before the NBA’s investigation had determined whether he was guilty.

If somehow House was made available for Thursday’s Game 4, the Rockets could certainly use his help. In a 10-point loss in Game 3, only one Houston reserve (Jeff Green) scored, and the Los Angeles bench outscored those on the Rockets by a decisive 42-16 margin.

In nine playoff games, the 6-foot-6 House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for Houston’s switch-heavy defense. In Sunday’s Game 2, the 27-year-old had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, and he hit 3-of-7 from 3-point range (42.9%).

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. Houston now trails the West semifinal series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 very important to their chances. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA playoff history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Rockets list Danuel House as out for Game 4, again for personal reasons

House is listed as out on the injury report, though that designation might not be final. Mike D’Antoni said the Rockets “haven’t heard yet.”

Houston Rockets forward Danuel House Jr. was listed as out for Thursday’s Game 4 on an official injury report issued Wednesday. As was the case for Game 3, “personal reasons” is stated as the explanation.

Veteran center Tyson Chandler also missed Game 3 due to personal reasons, but he is not on the injury report for Game 4 of their best-of-seven playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Even with the injury report, it is unclear if there is any new information on House. Head coach Mike D’Antoni met with reporters at approximately 2:30 p.m. Central on Wednesday, just prior to Houston’s practice, and said “haven’t heard yet” when asked about House’s Game 4 status.

Unless something changed in the next two hours — when D’Antoni and everyone else with the Rockets were on the practice court — it could be that the “out” designation was simply a rollover from Game 3.

Keep in mind, the injury reports aren’t binding. Russell Westbrook was originally listed as “out” for Game 5 of Houston’s first-round playoff series versus Oklahoma City, only to be upgraded on gameday. As a result, final word on House may not be known until Thursday.

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If unavailable, it would again be a significant loss for the Rockets. With the 6-foot-6 House unavailable off the bench, Jeff Green was the team’s only reserve to score during the Game 3 loss, in which the Los Angeles bench outscored their Houston counterparts by a 42-16 margin.

In nine playoff games, House has averaged 11.4 points (35.8% on 3-pointers) and 5.8 rebounds in 31.0 minutes per game, and he’s among the most athletic and versatile options for the team’s switch-heavy defense.

In Sunday’s Game 2, the 27-year-old had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, and he hit 3-of-7 from 3-point range (42.9%).

The team has yet to elaborate on the reasons for his absence. Prior to Game 3, House did practice with the team on Monday, and D’Antoni said the team was expecting him (at that time) to be available.

Game 4 between the Rockets and Lakers tips off at 6:00 p.m. Central on Thursday, with a national TV broadcast on TNT. The Rockets now trail the second-round series by a 2-1 margin, which makes Game 4 crucial for their hopes of advancing. Historically, only 12 teams in NBA history have overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

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Rockets credit Russell Westbrook, bench for lifting defensive energy

“Courage and confidence goes a long way, so we try and spread that amongst ourselves,” Harden said. “Especially here and without fans.”

On a night when James Harden and Eric Gordon shot a combined 2-of-21 on 3-pointers (9.5%), the Houston Rockets still won Game 2 over Oklahoma City by double digits — largely due to to their defense.

The undersized Rockets operated their aggressive, switching defense to perfection in the second half, leading to a pair of 16-2 and 20-2 runs over two different periods of seven-plus minutes. The victory gives the Rockets a commanding 2-0 lead in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs, with Game 3 of the best-of-seven series set for Saturday.

Though Russell Westbrook (right quad strain) was again sidelined, television cameras showed him vocally cheering on, supporting, and coaching his teammates from the bench throughout the game.

While Houston’s coaching staff and on-court players deserve the majority of credit for Thursday’s result, the postgame comments by the Rockets suggested that others in the bench area had earned an assist.

In postgame interviews, several team leaders praised the energy that came from the bench in the form of Westbrook, veteran center Tyson Chandler, and active players who weren’t in the game.

“We have to generate our own enthusiasm,” said head coach Mike D’Antoni. “We don’t have fans here, so it’s really up to the bench and the players that will come in to generate the energy we need to get over tough times or fatigue battles. They’ve been great. Russell, Tyson Chandler who hasn’t played, you hear his voice always. You can’t put a premium on that. Russ has been super encouraging. It’s been fantastic.”

“He better be cheering, he’s got nothing else to do,” Harden joked. “Russ is our leader. His communication, his voice matters to us. I’m just so proud of the guys that we played. Defensively, to hold them under 100 points after the first quarter they got [30 points], shows a lot about us.”

It’s quite a performance by a defense that ranked in the middle of the pack at No. 14 overall over the NBA’s 2019-20 regular season. In postgame comments, veteran leader and defensive ace P.J. Tucker said the Rockets were using the lack of size to their advantage by “getting under people” and preventing them from running their plays.

Even when the Rockets were struggling to shoot their usual 3-pointers for long stretches of Thursday’s game, it rarely seemed to take a toll on their energy or focus on the other side of the court. That’s where the energy from the bench seemed to prove especially useful.

During the 20-2 run, which came late in the third quarter and early in the fourth when Harden was on the bench, “The Beard” joined Westbrook, Chandler, and others on the Houston sideline in cheering on his on-court teammates and helping to make up for the absence of fans at the NBA’s Disney World “bubble” in Central Florida.

“That’s what it’s all about,” D’Antoni said. “No matter what, everyone is cheering for the other guy and doing whatever they can do offensively for the other guy. When you have that kind of spirit… it’s great. It’s great to be part of the whole group, James is in there congratulating all the guys on the job they did. That just goes a long, long way. You can’t teach it, it just has to happen. It’s fun at this point.”

At the postgame press conference, Harden explained the dynamic:

We feed off each other. Throughout the entire game, from the jump ball, we’ve got to give each other encouragement and energy. Even when things aren’t going well, we kind of keep giving each other that boost of confidence.

Because our shots are going to [eventually] fall, and defensively we’re going to be active. Courage and confidence goes a long way, so we try and spread that amongst ourselves, our teammates and coaches, and they feed it back to us. It goes a long way, especially here and without the fans.

Harden said Houston’s intensity actually rose to a higher level because of the poor shooting, which forced them to make up for it in other ways.

“When we’re making shots, our swag is way crazier,” Harden said. “But I think our swag is even better when we’re not, because we’ve got to guard and defend, and be on the same page defensively. Our attention is going to be even more when we aren’t making shots.”

Danuel House Jr., who scored a playoff career-high 19 points and led the Rockets with nine rebounds, was a key defensive cog and on the court for most of both second-half runs. He clearly noticed the bench, too.

“We want to make sure that guys are not caring about themselves, so guys are showing great energy on the court and off the court,” House told reporters. “And the guys that are not playing are showing tremendous energy. They’re also being vocal, and they’re communicating with everything that’s going on out there.”

Game 3 between the Rockets and Thunder will tip off at 5:00 p.m. Central on Saturday, with a national broadcast on ESPN and a regional version (with Houston announcers) on AT&T SportsNet Southwest.

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Daryl Morey likes what he sees in Tyson Chandler at Rockets camp

“I do think if Coach called on him, he’d be ready,” Morey said. “He was schooling some of the young bucks the last couple days.”

At 7-foot-1 and 37 years old, Tyson Chandler probably isn’t a rotation fit for the Houston Rockets — now known as the NBA’s smallest team. But if they need the 19-year NBA veteran in a pinch, it sounds as if he’s ready.

Friday was the seventh consecutive day of practice for the Rockets at the NBA “bubble” complex in Florida, where the 2019-20 season will restart later this month after a long hiatus due to COVID-19.

Just before Friday’s practice, Houston GM Daryl Morey was asked about individual standouts from the first week of “training camp.” Many names — such as guards James Harden and Eric Gordon, and forward Danuel House Jr. — have been well chronicled and were somewhat expected.

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But at the end of his interview, Morey also mentioned Chandler as one of his team’s early standouts in Florida. Here’s what the GM said:

Tyson… has looked very good. I should have mentioned him. I don’t think, given the miles on his wheels, that he’s going to have a huge role in the playoffs. But I do think if Coach called on him, he’d be ready. He was schooling some of the young bucks the last couple days.

Earlier this week, Chandler conceded that he wasn’t initially sure if he’d report to Orlando for the restart. After all, he hasn’t played since the team’s permanent switch to a smaller lineup in late January. But he remains a prominent voice in the Houston locker room as the only Rockets player to have won an NBA title, which he did with Dallas in 2011.

“I didn’t want it to end this way,” Chandler said of his decision to return. “My presence, especially with this team, is a lot in the locker room. It’s a lot of the day-to-day things, and in practice.”

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For example, Mike D’Antoni said that Chandler’s practice on the practice court allows the smaller Rockets to replicate how teams with larger, more traditional big men might try to play them.

“He’s the ultimate professional, he’ll be in shape,” D’Antoni said of Chandler, who clearly reported to Orlando in strong physical condition.

D’Antoni continued his comments:

If we need him, there’s a lot of talent and experience. He’s the only guy, I think, that’s out there who has won a ring. We rely on him to talk us through things. … He’s a valuable piece, whether he’s in the rotation or not, or if it’s an emergency.

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Given his age and Houston’s commitment to playing small, the odds are that barring an emergency, Chandler’s role will continue to be primarily about leadership. But if they need him for more, he’ll be there.

As Chandler recently said: “I always tell Coach [D’Antoni], ‘If you want to switch it up, I’m right here and I’m ready!’”

Chandler has appeared in 26 games this season, with an average of 1.3 points (77.8% FG) and 2.5 rebounds in 8.4 minutes. For his career, he averages 8.2 points (59.7% FG) and 9.0 rebounds in 27.3 minutes. In addition to winning an NBA title with Dallas in 2011, he was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and an All-Star in 2013.

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Veteran center Tyson Chandler not ruling out a 20th NBA season

“It all depends on how my body feels at the end of this run, and how successful we are,” the veteran Rockets center said of his future.

Veteran center Tyson Chandler is on an expiring contract with the Houston Rockets, and he’ll turn 38 years old in October. Even so, he’s not ready to rule out returning for a 20th NBA season in 2020-21.

“It all depends on how my body feels at the end of this run, and how successful we are,” Chandler said after Tuesday’s practice.

In a perfect world, it sounds as if the 7-foot-1 center — who did win an NBA championship in 2011 as a starter for the Dallas Mavericks — would love to ride off into the sunset with another ring, should Houston fulfill its championship ambitions at the NBA’s restart in Florida.

But if that doesn’t happen, the 19-year veteran wants to keep the door open to making it an even 20 years in the NBA. His comments:

It’s hard to make the answer now. I thought last year, at the end of the year, I thought ‘This is probably it.’ And then the end of the summer rolls around, and you start getting that itch. I’ll do myself some justice, not get ahead of myself, and wait for that moment to come.

Chandler was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Among numerous career accolades, he was an All-Star in 2013 with the New York Knicks and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.

Now in the twilight of that career, Chandler hasn’t played for the Rockets since their permanent switch to smaller lineups in late January. Between his diminished role and the inherent risk of the NBA’s restart amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Chandler admitted Tuesday that he considered not playing. But ultimately, he chose to rejoin his teammates.

“I didn’t want it to end this way,” said Chandler, who has a key leadership voice as the only current Houston player to have won an NBA title.

According to the Rockets, Chandler remains quite valuable to the team, even if he isn’t playing. As head coach Mike D’Antoni explained earlier in the week, Chandler allows Houston to replicate in practice how larger, more traditional opponents might try to play them.

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“My presence, especially with this team, is a lot in the locker room,” Chandler said in describing his current role with the Rockets. “It’s a lot of the day-to-day things, and in practice.”

After a key win in late February at Utah, Chandler delivered a passionate postgame speech to his teammates. Among his comments:

Every game, think about what we’re playing for. It’s a shortened season now. So every time we step on the court, we’ve got to understand what we’re building for.

So we’ve got to keep getting better defensively. Because we can. Yeah, we can keep getting better offensively. We’re worried about us getting better.

Even so, Chandler still hasn’t totally given up on the idea of returning to the court in a game situation. On Tuesday, he cracked a smile and said:

I always tell coach, ‘If you want to switch it up, I’m right here and I’m ready!’

Chandler has appeared in 26 games this season, with an average of 1.3 points (77.8% FG) and 2.5 rebounds in 8.4 minutes. For his career, he averages 8.2 points (59.7% FG) and 9.0 rebounds in 27.3 minutes.

Though he remains in great shape, the reality of the NBA’s aging curve means those peak years are behind him. Even so, Chandler is convinced that he can still help a title contender in some capacity — and entering the restart, he’s hopeful that his Rockets have the right formula.

“I think we’ve got a great shot,” said Chandler, who was asked whether he believed these Rockets (40-24), led by a pair of former MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook, could ultimately win it all.

“I really do,” Chandler continued. “I really like our chances. The style of basketball that we’re playing right now, I think teams had a tough time adjusting to it. … I think if we get hot and our shooters are knocking down shots, it makes it very difficult to beat us.”

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Rockets like how they look after hardest practice yet at NBA bubble

“It went better than expected,” Austin Rivers said after Tuesday’s 5-on-5 work. “We actually looked good. Our defense surprised me.”

As of Tuesday, All-Star guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook have still yet to join the Houston Rockets at the NBA’s “bubble” complex near Orlando. But after the team’s fourth day of practice, the players who are there sound quite pleased with how things are going.

Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni said Tuesday’s practice was the team’s most intense yet, and the first time they did “serious five-on-five work,” referring to an intrasquad scrimmage to replicate a game setting.

“Today, we went after it pretty hard,” D’Antoni said in a Zoom session with reporters immediately following Tuesday’s practice. He continued:

I thought it was really good. I thought the defensive intensity was super. … The intensity was good from everybody. Today was a good day.

When asked if any player stood out, D’Antoni again pointed to reserve guard Eric Gordon, who appears to have finally returned to full health.

“Eric Gordon was bombing it,” D’Antoni said. “He looked really good.” D’Antoni also said that Robert Covington and others played well.

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Backup guard Austin Rivers and reserve big man Tyson Chandler also spoke after Tuesday’s practice, and each had similar assessments.

“It went better than expected,” Rivers said. “We actually looked good. Our defense surprised me. I know Rockets and defense usually don’t go hand in hand, but we were flying today.” (For the season, Houston is the NBA’s No. 2 team in net rating on offense, but No. 16 on defense.)

“I like where we’re at right now,” added Chandler. “I like the energy. Honestly, we’re a lot better than I thought we’d be. It was a long layoff.”

Chandler is the only member of the 2019-20 Rockets to have won an NBA championship, having done so in 2011 as the starting center for Dallas. When asked whether his latest Texas team could replicate that feat, the 19-year NBA veteran said Tuesday that he’s optimistic:

I think we’ve got a great shot. I really do. I really like our chances. The style of basketball that we’re playing right now, I think teams had a tough time adjusting to it. … I think if we get hot and our shooters are knocking down shots, it makes it very difficult to beat us.

Now 37 years old, the 7-foot-1 Chandler isn’t expected to be in the rotation for the Rockets, who emphasize smaller lineups.

But Chandler said Tuesday that he still has a daily presence in the locker room and in practice, where he helps the Rockets replicate how more traditional opponents might try to play them. He also isn’t ruling out the possibility that he might even return for a 20th season.

“It depends on how my body feels at the end of this run, and how successful we are,” Chandler said on whether this is his final season.

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As far as the 2019-20 Rockets, they’re well aware that even though they’re happy with their current level of play, they need the expected returns of Harden and Westbrook to contend for a title.

But Rivers said it shouldn’t be a problem integrating the stars with the group that is currently practicing. In fact, he says it could provide the Rockets with a “jolt of energy” when they arrive at a time in which the novelty of finally returning to practice is wearing off for many teams.

“Those are two of the top five players in the NBA,” Rivers said of integrating the All-Stars. “They make the game very, very easy.”

By record, the Rockets (40-24) aren’t quite to the top tier of contenders in the Western Conference such as the Los Angeles Lakers (49-14) or Clippers (44-20). But Houston has won three of its six meetings against those heavyweights, and the veteran Rockets have consistently shown an ability to play at their highest level versus elite opponents.

Assuming Harden and Westbrook return as planned, that’s why the Rockets remain very optimistic about what they can do in Florida.

“We all know there’s only three or four teams that have a realistic shot at winning [the title], and we think we’re one of those four,” Rivers said Tuesday. “We’re focused and we’re happy to be down here.”

Houston’s regular season won’t restart until Friday, July 31, which gives the former MVPs plenty of time to go through protocols and arrive before any real games are played. Westbrook is sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, while Harden’s reason remains undisclosed.

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