Showing posts with label Patrick Beverley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patrick Beverley. Show all posts

Multiple Rockets Win at NBA Awards Show

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The Houston Rockets had their fingerprints all over the first annual NBA Awards Show on Monday night, having been nominated for several traditional and newly introduced fan-voted awards. At the end of the day, the Rockets laid claim to three separate awards…



In his first year as head coach of the Rockets, Mike D’Antoni made a drastic move by naming James Harden the full-time point guard. With a playmaker like Harden, D’Antoni could implement elements of his ‘Seven Seconds or Less’ offense – an offense that helped D’Antoni win Coach of the Year for the first time back in 2005. After being somewhat exiled from the NBA following failed coaching stints in Los Angeles and New York, D’Antoni’s efficient and explosive Rockets won 55 games (a 14-game improvement from the previous season) and completely flipped the narrative surrounding the team.



Eric Gordon – another first-year Rocket – won the Sixth Man of the Year Award by making contributions of 16 points per game on 40% shooting (37% from behind the three-point line). Perhaps a more important stat for 'Splash Gordon' is that he played 75 games this past season, the most since his rookie campaign in 2008-2009 (78). Gordon’s injury history was a major concern coming into the season, but his reduced role as a secondary scorer and playmaker allowed him to flourish in D’Antoni’s offense. He even won this year's Three-Point Shooting Contest during All-Star Weekend.



Finally, Patrick Beverley was named the recipient of the NBA’s first ever Hustle Award. Beverley’s pesky defense and all-out hustle on both sides of the floor has earned the admiration and love of Rockets fans, but this season was somewhat of a breakout year for him nationally – at least, in a positive light. Per game, Pat averaged 9.5 points, 4.2 assists, and a very impressive 5.9 rebounds. Also, Beverley was named to the All-Defense First Team for the first time in his career – an achievement he has strived for throughout his NBA career.

James Harden was famously in the running for the 2016-2017 Most Valuable Player Award, but ultimately finished the race in second place. As somewhat of a consolation prize, however, Harden was the only player to be unanimously voted to the All-NBA First Team.

The Houston Rockets had a massive turnaround after a disastrous 2015-2016, and that turnaround (on and off the floor) was validated with these awards and nominations. In fact, this season saw the Rockets win an award for the first time since Aaron Brooks won Most Improved Player following the 2009-2010 season. You can check out Red Nation Hoops’ cases for why Mike D’Antoni and Eric Gordon deserved their awards here and here, respectively.
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Report: Rockets Actively Shopping Patrick Beverley

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Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported that the Rockets are currently shopping guard Patrick Beverley ahead of the NBA Draft on Thursday. Beverley averaged 9.5 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 4.2 APG last season.

https://twitter.com/SeanDeveney/status/877252315983622144

These rumors should not be too surprising. The Rockets’ pursuit of Chris Paul when free agency arrives is well documented. Beverley actually spoke out on the rumors earlier this week. While he would like to stay in Houston, he understands the NBA is a business first.

"It's some speculation I might be going to another team..There are a lot of teams that want my talent. That's a special feeling"

If the Rockets are confident in landing Paul, they are going to have to cut ties with Beverley. It is also a possibility he could be involved in a trade if the Rockets are looking to acquire Paul George.

The majority of Rockets fans would be sad to see him go. He has been with the Rockets since 2012 and has been a big part of their success. Beverley is the yard-dog on the team and does all of the dirty work. His passion and competitiveness provides a lot of energy to the team. There has been improvement in his game every season and he has been able to work well as the backcourt partner alongside James Harden.

Beverley is currently under contract until 2019 and is set to make over $5 million in the upcoming season. This is an interesting time for the Rockets, and it will be fascinating to see what happens with one of the fans’ beloved players in Beverley.
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Rockets 125, Spurs 104 - Doing it Our Way



The Houston Rockets have evened up the series with the San Antonio Spurs, and they've won their two games in exactly the fashion they wanted to. While the Spurs have bogged the game down in games two and three, the Rockets found a way to break the chains that bound them and run loose in game four. In a series with this many twists and turns, sometimes it really is just as simple as playing your game and hitting shots.
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Rockets 118, Thunder 87 - Rockets Emphatically Take Game 1

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The Houston Rockets faithful inside the Toyota Center was rocking in anticipation of Houston’s first exciting Playoff basketball game in two years (let’s throw last year out the window, shall we?). The crowd was wearing red, the Rockets donned their beautiful black uniforms, and the Oklahoma City Thunder wore their neon orange getups – making for the worst aesthetic for a television viewer in all of this weekend’s action. But, I digress…

In a matchup featuring the two likely finalists for this season’s Most Valuable Player Award, it was the role players who made the first major impressions on this game. For the Rockets, none other than Patrick Beverley imposed his will on both ends of the floor, hitting his first two threes and picking Russell Westbrook’s pocket to get himself an easy dunk.



Beverley’s impact would be felt all over this game. He was, expectedly, a thorn in Westbrook’s side, and his constant energy translated to 11 points on 80% shooting and seven rebounds in the first half.

On the other hand, Andre Roberson was really OKC’s only significant contributor not named Russell Westbrook on both ends of the floor. He played James Harden extremely well in the first quarter, not allowing the ‘Beard’ to find any space on the perimeter – forcing Harden to airball two threes early. The other end of the floor saw Roberson nail a trio of three-point attempts in the first half, which was frustrating for Rockets fans because he was only a 24% shooter from out there during the regular season.

Houston saw incredible contributions from their big men, namely Clint Capela, Nene, and Ryan Anderson. Capela and Nene contributed a combined 17 points, but, more importantly, they helped control the glass against one of the best rebounding teams in the league. Houston held a six-rebound advantage on the offensive glass, which helped lead to a 21-0 advantage in terms of second chance points. Ryan Anderson couldn’t buy a basket from downtown, but he did haul in seven first half rebounds – always a good thing for the Rockets.

Oh, and also, WHAT IS THIS CLINT CAPELA SORCERY?!?



Despite starting this game hitting just one of his seven field goal attempts (credit Roberson for making him uncomfortable on the perimeter), James Harden hit eight of his next eleven by attacking the rim. Harden’s first step was just too much for Roberson to handle at times, and he absolutely DESTROYED any defender that switched on him. Houston held a 59-54 lead going into halftime.

The Rockets shot just 19% (3/16) from the three-point line in the first half, but finally started to find their range in the third period – hitting four from beyond the arc. Unsurprisingly, Beverley was responsible for two of these makes, but they came after he was hit with a shoulder block that J.J. Watt (who was supporting the Rockets from the first row) would be proud of.


Beverley was understandably rattled for a second after that hit, but he shrugged it off, drained two threes, and galvanized the Rockets into putting this game away much earlier than people expected. The Rockets held a big lead by the end of the third (89-74), but it was the early fourth-quarter minutes that Harden rested that were truly crucial. Thanks to Beverley’s continued brilliance (and unbelievable defense), the Rockets managed to build the lead up to 22 before Harden even checked back in.

Defensively, the Rockets were incredible in Game 1, specifically with regards to Russell Westbrook. Sure, he posted a nice stat line of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, but he only shot 26% from the field and forced nine turnovers. And not only did Westbrook struggle, but only two other Thunder players managed to score in double-digits – and no one else got double-digit rebounds.

On the other hand, the Rockets had outstanding games from Harden, Beverley, Capela, and Nene. Throw in Lou William’s (inefficient) 11 points, and the Rockets had five double-digit scorers. Also, despite his poor shooting, Ryan Anderson hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds. Considering Anderson’s, Williams’, Eric Gordon’s, and Trevor Ariza’s ineffectiveness offensively, this blowout win has to be viewed as a statement game for the Rockets – a statement that displayed just how much firepower this Rockets team really has.

Game 2 is on Wednesday, and you can bet OKC will be better prepared to retaliate.

Game Ball 

This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

The first game ball of the postseason goes to Patrick Beverley.

In a game that saw James Harden put up insane numbers (as we all expected), it was Patrick Beverley that led the way for this to happen. Harden really struggled to start this game, but Beverley didn’t. In fact, for the first few minutes, it felt like Beverly was the only Rocket who remembered that this was a Playoff game. His efficient shooting from all over the floor, incredible defense, and never-ending enthusiasm set the tone for this game – and, hopefully, for this series.

Where would the Rockets be without Patrick Beverley?
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Rockets 123, Grizzlies 108 - Stretch Run



In the third quarter of tonight's game, the Houston Rockets, and more specifically James Harden, imposed their wills and played like the better team. After a shaky middle, the Rockets put their demons to bed, took a twenty point lead, and weathered the storms on the way to a convincing win over the Memphis Grizzlies. With this win, they add onto a nice run in the third quarter of the season, setting themselves up well for the playoffs. The Rockets are making their stretch run.

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Rockets 122, Clippers 103 - Rockets Dominate Clippers with Uptick in Heart

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The Houston Rockets picked up a big win in Los Angeles, completely and efficiently dominating a fully healthy Clippers team. Behind a call to action from James Harden, who recently demanded more heart from his squad, the Rockets cruised by a good team to earn a much-needed statement win.

A frantic pace opened up the Staples Center on Wednesday night, and the Rockets came out shooting. Unlike the abysmal downtown shooting that the Rockets suffered through in Wednesday’s loss against the Indiana Pacers, the Rockets drained five of their first seven three-point attempts. The shooting cooled off for the remainder of the quarter (just one make in the next six attempts from downtown), and the Clippers star-studded duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul took over, recording 11 points and six assists, respectively. After one, the Clippers held a slim 37-34 lead.

The second quarter quickly turned into a scorer’s duel between perennial sixth man of the year candidate Jamal Crawford and current candidate for that award – Eric Gordon. The combatants started a scoring binge by trading deep three-pointers and kept firing from there. Crawford added a couple of more baskets, but Gordon, who really struggled in Monday’s game, caught fire with 13 points in just the first five minutes of the period. This scoring punch came amidst an 18-2 run that gave the Rockets a 56-44 lead and, ultimately, a 70-58 lead by halftime.

Ryan Anderson, who was a big part of the shooting flurry to open the game, continued his hot streak to open the third and hit back-to-back threes. James Harden followed with a three of his own to give the Rockets a 17-point lead and a lot of momentum.

Now, it wouldn’t be a Rockets/Clippers game without things getting a little testy. Ever since the Rockets overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals and eliminated the Clippers from the Playoffs two years ago, the Clippers always seem to get extra frustrated when the Rockets play them well. For example, look at the last game between these two squads – a game that saw Head Coach Doc Rivers and his son, Austin, get ejected from the game. Things got somewhat testy again on Wednesday when, after trying to draw a foul on a layup, Blake Griffin nailed Clint Capela in the throat with an elbow the late, great ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage would be proud of. Capela collapsed to the court and, after official review, Griffin was assessed a flagrant foul. Shortly after that, Chris Paul earned himself a technical foul.

The Griffin flagrant created a devastating seven-point swing that favored the Rockets. It erased a DeAndre Jordan tip-in that followed the foul, plus Capela hit both technical free throws and Patrick Beverley nailed what was essentially a game-ending three. Beverley was excellent in the third quarter, draining a multitude of threes and displaying a heart that the Rockets have lacked as of late. The Rockets fed off of his energy and built a seemingly insurmountable 108-78 point lead at the end of three periods.

Houston's energy from the third quarter was not sustained going into the fourth, and the Clippers actually managed to cut a 31-point lead down to 18 with just over 7:30 left to go. Although it may have seemed like a ‘too little, too late’ kind of push for the Clippers, strangers things have happened and both teams are well-aware of the kind of comebacks NBA teams are capable of. Not helping the Rockets cause in putting the Clippers away was missing the first ten field goal attempts, including several wide-open threes. In the end, the Rockets righted the ship and, despite missing their last fifteen straight threes, put the Clippers away.

Houston has a tough schedule upcoming and looks to start another winning streak this weekend as the Memphis Grizzlies make a trip to the Toyota Center.

Game Ball

This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Wednesday’s ball goes to Patrick Beverley.

Just as the Weapon X program transformed Wolverine into an un-killable force of nature, Patrick Beverley injected the Rockets with heart and turned them into a world-beater. Houston could not have dominated the Clippers without Beverley’s monster game, scoring 14 points on 4/8 from three (all of them daggers) and his ability to slash through traffic in the paint on his way to 12 tough rebounds. Beverley’s undying hustle will carry the Rockets to great heights, granted the rest of the X-Men are ready to follow his lead.

It’s only fitting that ‘Logan’ is out in theaters this weekend.
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Rockets 133, Suns 102 - Rest is Good

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Get plenty of sleep. If there's only one lesson in the 31-point drubbing the Houston Rockets submitted the Phoenix Suns to, it's surely that rest is critical. If there are two lessons, it's that James Harden is phenomenal and the Houston Rockets are an elite team, despite recent malaise. There were mitigating factors in this rout, but the magnitude of the victory was undeniable. Get your beauty rest, or the Rockets might crush you by 30, too.

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Rockets 128, Magic 104 - Fresh Legs Push Rockets Past Orlando

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Following a brutal stretch of the schedule that saw the Rockets play 14 games in just 23 days, including a 5-game road trip to close out January, the Rockets were very welcoming to an extended rest and a home game against a poor team in the Orlando Magic. The Rockets lost eight of those 14 games, but have won back-to-back games since, handily beating Orlando on Tuesday.

Despite the three-days rest, the Rockets looked a little rusty to start this game - only making three of their first ten attempts from the field and allowing Orlando to jump on a 18-9 lead. Houston took the lead shortly thereafter thanks to a scoring flurry that included back-to-back threes from Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon, as well as a steal and transition lay-up from Ariza. The Rockets, led by Ariza’s 14 points, went on a 24-8 run to close out the opening period – cemented by an ever-so-spry play from backup center Nene.



Nene kept the party going early in the second quarter, scoring nine points (he finished the game with 13) and helping the Rockets build a huge 23-point lead. James Harden was quietly having a great game, scoring 16 points and dishing out eight assists with only two turnovers in the first half. The most fun Harden pass was easily a dish off to Clint Capela in the post for a traditional big-man jam… oh wait, that’s PATRICK BEVERLEY.



The Rockets went into halftime with a 70-54 lead thanks to efficient play that included 54.2% shooting from the field (44.4% from three). However, the third quarter was much, much less efficient as Houston only converted on three of eleven attempts from beyond the arc (27.3%), and 30% shooting from the field overall. This allowed Orlando to outscore the Rockets 30-24 in the period, cutting the Rockets lead down to just ten (94-84).

Orlando further cut the lead down to eight points in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, but the Rockets were not going to allow the Magic back into this game – not on the night Houston honored Hakeem “the Dream” Olajuwon.



James Harden grew frustrated in the final period, even getting into a brief scuffle with Bismack Biyombo. The frustration stemmed from Harden not getting a few foul calls (in which he obviously got fouled) and going scoreless in the period. Nonetheless, he dished out four assists and the Rockets never looked back. Beverley added nine points to his 14-point total, and both Eric Gordon and Sam Dekker each added a couple of threes.

Impressively, seven Rockets scored in double figure and the team managed to commit nine steals while only committing ten turnovers (the team averages 15.4 per game). Houston also shot 42.1% (16/38) from behind the three-point line. All of these stats, plus the efficient play from the likes of Harden, Beverley, Ariza, Capela, Gordon, and Nene, all signify just how important this bit of rest was for the Rockets.

An interesting wrinkle in Tuesday’s game is that, even in garbage time, Montrezl Harrell didn’t see any playing time. Meanwhile, Clint Capela and Nene played 28 and 18 minutes, respectively. There may just not have been enough time for Harrell, but this move is very interesting given that the NBA Trade Deadline is a mere two weeks away (rumors will be uncontrollable until then).

Houston will look to keep up their winning ways on Thursday in Charlotte when the Rockets take on the struggling Hornets, who just snapped a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday.

Game Ball

 This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Tuesday’s game ball goes to Trevor Ariza.

This game was basically efficient all across the board for the Rockets. Harden put up a routine 25 points/13 assists, Beverley contributed 14 points/6 rebounds/7 assists, and, in general, the team shot very well from the field. Trevor Ariza is undoubtedly the player that needed this kind of game the most, however, as he really struggled in those January games. Most of his 20 points came in the first quarter (he also added seven rebounds and four assists in the game), but his efficiency is something that has really been lacking as of late. He shot 47% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc, and added two more steals (he’s third in the league in steals per game and has 105 on the season).

It’s good to get Ariza going because the Rockets are 16-3 when he scores at least 15 points.
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Rockets 114, Bucks 127 - Bucks hot shooting bests Rockets

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The Milwaukee Bucks snapped a five-game winning streak on Monday, outscoring the Rockets 127-114 after shooting the lights out of the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Houston's defensive effort was not what it needed to be as Milwaukee shot 59% for the game and scored 58 points in the paint.

The young Bucks set a frantic pace in the first quarter of this game, and that’s largely due to both teams being careless with the ball. Milwaukee committed seven turnovers in the opening period and forced six out of the Rockets (four from James Harden). Jabari Parker took over the offensive load for Milwaukee, scoring 11 points on 56% shooting.

Despite the Rockets being close to 100% healthy after the injury to Clint Capela and the illness to Ryan Anderson, the Rockets, who have struggled defensively as of late, gave up 20 points in the paint and allowed the Bucks to shoot 61% as a team. Houston withstood a 9-1 run from the Bucks and closed the quarter out with a couple of dazzling plays from Harden to tie the game at 33 after one.





Milwaukee opened the second quarter on a 14-0 run, after forcing another four more turnovers. First-time NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo (spelled that right on the first try, thank you very much) scored eight points in that short run, and finished the half with 17 points on 66.67% shooting. Jabari Parker hit all three of his field goals in the second, bringing his scoring total to 20. The Bucks shot an astounding 78% in the second period and 68% for the half, giving them a lead that got as high as 15.

Harden, on the other hand, turned on his offensive jets to score 14 points in the period. By halftime, he had posted 19 points, hitting all five of his attempts from the field, and seven assists. Anderson was the only other Rocket with double-digit scoring by the end of the first half, scoring 13 (he finished the game with 16). Houston did a much better job of holding onto the ball and executing their offense (they shot 52.6% in the quarter, despite the bad start), and they managed to cut the lead to just four by halftime (68-64).

Patrick Beverley, the heart and soul of the Rockets, was really feeling it on both ends of the floor to start the third quarter as he scored eight points in less than four minutes to cut the deficit to one point (77-76). In that stretch, he even picked up the much taller and longer Antetokounmpo defensively on a few occasions – on one particular play, he picked up Giannis at half court in transition and forced a turnover.

The Rockets took the lead on a Clint Capela alley-oop, but it was short-lived as the Bucks took a small lead into the fourth quarter (the score was 93-91). A ‘Slam Dekker’ from Wisconsin’s favorite Rocket tied the game again early in the fourth, and Beverley, who assisted on the Dekker jam, finished a tough layup – drawing a foul from Greg Monroe in the process (he missed the free throw). With Harden on the bench, both teams traded baskets for a little while, but the Bucks went on an 11-0 run after a barrage of Houston turnovers.

The Bucks never looked back and closed the game out as the Rockets went ice cold in the final moments. Antetokounmpo and Parker combined for 59 points, and Greg Monroe and Matthew Dellavedova chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively. For the Rockets, this game was purely about turnovers (21) and allowing the Bucks to score 127 points on nearly 60% shooting, including 58 points in the paint.

Houston actually shot the ball well (50.6% from the field, 40% from three) and outscored the Bucks on points coming off of turnovers (34-23), but it wasn’t enough, given the defensive effort. Five Rockets scored in double figures and Harden fell just one rebound shy of a triple-double (26 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds).

The Rockets have now dropped five of the last eight games, and look to back on the winning track on Wednesday in Boston.

Game Ball

 This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Monday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.

Beverley took a page from Harden’s book and had himself an insanely efficient game, scoring 18 points on 70% shooting (4/7 from beyond the arc). Now, Beverley was a team-low -25 in terms of plus/minus (yes, even worse than Corey Brewer), but that’s not indicative of just how impactful he was in the game. Without his continued hot shooting (he’s shooting just a hair under 40% from the three-point line this season) this game would have been over much earlier than it was.

Time and time again, Beverley’s hustle elevates this team in the right moments or, in the case of Monday’s game, at least gives the Rockets a puncher’s chance.
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Rockets 100, Magic 93 - Role Players Win Seventh Straight for Houston

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On back-to-back nights, James Harden faced familiar faces from his days in Oklahoma City; this time against Serge Ibaka and Jeff Green (remember Jeff Green?!). Harden had an off night (but still almost posted a triple double) and Eric Gordon really struggled shooting the ball (3/16 from three), but the role players –namely, Patrick Beverley and Ryan Anderson – took center stage to give Houston its seventh straight win.

The Rockets, who are the best first quarter team in terms of offensive rating, got off to a really slow start for the third straight game. Houston looked really fatigued from last night’s thriller against the Thunder (and the flight to Orlando, probably) and the shooting reflected that. The Rockets only shot 35% from the field, including only hitting three of 13 attempts from beyond the arc (23.1%). The poor shooting was accompanied by sluggish play offensively as Houston committed six turnovers – the majority of which came on errant passes out of bounds to players who were out of position. The Orlando Magic ended the opening period with a 22-19 lead.

The Rockets opened the second quarter on a 17-6 run that gave them a 36-28 lead (their largest lead of the game). The run was sparked by the energy of Sam Dekker, who scored five points and hauled in six rebounds (four of them on the offensive side of the glass) in the first half, and Patrick Beverley, who finished the half with eight points and six rebounds. Unfortunately, Houston’s outside shooting problems continued in the period as they mirrored their first quarter output – they hit only three of their 13 attempts in the period. James Harden missed all five of his attempts and Eric Gordon, the NBA’s leading three-point shooter, was only 2/11.

D.J. Augustin’s scoring prowess (he scored all 16 of his points in the second) and Nikola Vucevic’s control on the glass (11 rebounds at halftime) allowed the Magic to close the last six minutes of the first half on a 24-8 run. Orlando went into halftime with a 52-44 lead.

After Evan Fournier made a free throw at the start of the third quarter, the Rockets went on a 12-0 run in less than two minutes to regain the lead, 56-53. The run consisted of Houston making their first three from downtown (two from Ryan Anderson and one from Trevor Ariza) and Montrezl Harrell converting an and-one dunk. The Magic traded a couple of baskets with the Rockets and followed with a 9-0 run of their own. Houston responded with six straight points to tie the game at 64.

Ryan Anderson, who played three seasons with the Magic, is familiar with the Amway Center and scored 17 points in the third period, hitting all six of his shot attempts – including five from downtown. The Rockets outscored Orlando by 12 and ended the third quarter up 79-75.

The fourth quarter was a little uneventful, especially after Houston’s three-point shooting cooled off after the third. Nonetheless, the Rockets managed to hold onto their lead for the entire period even after the game stagnated and Orlando threatened to make a comeback. Houston only shot 30.6% from the three-point line and looked dead tired, but they yet again fought to pull up a tough victory.

Despite off games from James Harden and Eric Gordon, Houston’s role players really propelled the Rockets to this win. Patrick Beverley and Sam Dekker provided some much needed energy, Ryan Anderson sparked a huge third quarter (that essentially won the Rockets the game), and Trevor Ariza quietly contributed 13 points and six rebounds.

Houston takes their seven-game winning streak to the Great White North on Sunday to take on Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors in Drake’s neighborhood.

Game Ball 

This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Friday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.

Patrick Beverley is having one hell of a season for the Rockets, despite some health problems. Playing with a wrist injury on his shooting hand (an injury that hurts every time he takes a shot), Beverley has been absolutely essential to the Rockets winning the last two games. On Friday, he scored 17 points on 77.8% shooting (75% from three), hoarded nine rebounds (four offensively), and posted three steals. In the last two games, Beverley has hit six of his eight attempted threes – remarkable, given his injury.

There’s not much more to say about Beverley’s importance to this team. It’s obvious to Rockets fans that Wolverine is a key cog to a championship contender.

Side note: any chance Beverley’s wrist injury stems from the adamantium claws growing under his skin?
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Red Nation Roundup: Pulling It Out

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The Houston Rockets are one hard-nosed basketball team.

In contrast to last year, they have consistently found a way to win games that they haven't necessarily deserved to win. Cold streaks and opponent comebacks will not stop them from getting the job done. That's something to be ultra-encouraged by. This week, the Rockets extended their win streak to 6 games with a mix of blowouts and crunch time victories.

Monday night versus Boston in Toyota Center coming off another grueling 5-game road trip was a sight to see. Turnovers were a major issue in the first half. The only offense that transpired was the James Harden "get to the free throw line" offense. Strangely enough, the Rockets went into the locker room sitting on a 10 point lead. In the second half, Houston's head-scratching sloppiness eventually came to bite them in the rear-end, causing them to surrender a six point lead to the Celtics at the end of the quarter led by Al Horford. Boston progressively shot better as the game went on while Houston shot worse. It seemed as though it was just one of those nights.

That was until James Harden had something to say about it.

After his usual 4 minute rest to start the 4th, he decided it was time to ramp it up, scoring 13 points in the quarter. A comfortable three point lead was put together thanks to James, only to almost be completely ruined by the questionable judgement of the officiating crew. As Boston trapped Harden in the final seconds in their last hopes to win the game, James inadvertently elbowed Marcus Smart in the face which led to a questionable flagrant foul call. Two free throws and the ball for Boston. Up one, the Rockets were forced to have to make a final stop to win the game.

It was the final inbound play. Al Horford received the ball and made his way toward the basket. The seas parted (interestingly enough) and he would surely win the game with a wide open layup attempt. But, somehow, some way, he missed. Even with Montrezl Harrell being pulled down by little Isaiah Thomas and Beverley tripping over someone's foot, the Celtics were unable to convert as the Rockets came out of this one alive.

Oh yes, if Marcus Smart hadn't flopped, he could have potentially won the game with a tip-in. Oh well.

https://twitter.com/BallersHype/status/806586457959858177

Crushing teams that are expected to be crushed is not something to be overlooked. It is a crucial team skill that can ultimately decide playoff seeding. In essence, losses need to be saved for losing to teams that are actually acceptable to lose to. So with that being said, the Rockets fulfilled this responsibility to the fullest extent. Long story short, it was a 39 point revenge win for the Rockets over the Lakers in what didn't really feel like an actual game. Eric Gordon came out on fire (8-12 from three, 26 on the game), Patrick Beverley had one of his best all-around games of the season (10 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists) and everyone received an ample amount of playing time. Harden ended the game with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists without even trying. It was a seemingly casual game that ended in a 134-99 win for Houston.

James Harden vs. Russell Westbrook, Part II.

Part I went to Russell Westbrook thanks to the 7 minute scoring drought that the Rockets suffered in Oklahoma City earlier this season. Part II was almost a repeat, but not quite. With the addition of Patrick Beverley this time around, Russ played a horribly inefficient game that swayed in Houston's favor. It's safe to say that Pat is back to his NBA All-Defense form. He bothered Russ all game with his smothering stance, swift pick pockets and intense hustle plays. On the other end, Andre Roberson continued his superb defense on James Harden. Of course, Russ ended with a triple double (27-10-10) and James was one rebound shy of one (21-9-12). They'll always get theirs, but this game really was a gritty showcase for both team's respective lockdown defenders.

The Rockets were able to build up a nice cushion that they rode through the first three quarters due to Clint Capela, Eric Gordon and one monstrous slam by Sam Dekker that put Oklahoma City's Enes Kanter on his back. Unfortunately, the cushion soon deflated as OKC came roaring back in an early fourth quarter 10-1 run. The Rockets went on an all-too-similar 6 minute scoring drought and it looked like a collapse was in the works once again. The last two minutes were completely nerve-wrecking, however, Patrick Beverley was not going to let this be a repeat of Part I.

https://twitter.com/blazersedge/status/807626199077818368

Patrick Beverley: First Team All-Defense. The Rockets went on to win this one, 102-99, avoiding a soul-crushing breakdown.

This one called for a Bev chest bump to Coach D'Antoni:

https://twitter.com/Rockets_Insider/status/807431023252439040

This team is so fun, man.

On Saturday night, the Rockets took care of business once more. The Dallas Mavericks are terrible this season, and it showed. From start to finish, it was all Rockets. James Harden was able to play in distributor mode all game, ending the game with another near-triple-double (18 points, 16 assists, 9 rebounds). Major splashing took place. Trevor Ariza put on a three point show in the third quarter and Patrick Beverley had one in the fourth. Eric Gordon went 6-9 from downtown and Capela chalked up a 13-10 double-double. It was a classic clinic as the Rockets won, 109-87.

Player of the Week: Eric Gordon

Eric Gordon has been unconscious. He just didn't miss a shot this week. He's the ideal 6th man that Houston's been searching for. Having a scoring punch like him coming off the bench is an extreme luxury, and it allows for some James Harden resting time. Gordon averaged a cool 20 points on 57% shooting from beyond the arc through 4 games while simply being unguardable.

What a week for "The Perfect Sixth Man". Expect to see some more dashing and splashing as he is showing no signs of cooling off anytime soon.

With more than a quarter of the season completed and with the Rockets now tied for 3rd in the Western Conference, it is time for fans to get excited if they weren't already. This team has proven that they are able to fight through adversity to pull out key wins in an invigorating fashion. Look for the Rockets to continue this play as they trot into what should be an easy next couple of games. Now, check out some of this week's Rockets news, columns, and breakdowns!

Crazy finish goes Rockets' way in win over Celtics | ESPN

ESPN's Calvin Watkins goes into depth as to how this game went down. The Rockets beat writer includes player thoughts and highlight sequences to emphasize what the gist of the matchup was. Check it out!

Eric Gordon ringleader of Rockets' rout of Lakers | Houston Chronicle

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen goes through the process of laying out Houston's blowout wins against the Lakers led by Red Nation Hoops' Player of the Week, Eric Gordon. Needless to say, everything was clicking for EG and the Rockets. Click to see how sweet the revenge win was!

Rockets hold on to win tight one over Thunder, 102-99 | The Dream Shake

Here is a nice post-game breakdown that perfectly expresses how James Harden vs. Russell Westbrook Part II played out. In-game statistics were utilized to help supplement understanding of each team's performances. Check it out if you need a rundown!

Houston Rockets walking in harmony during six-game winning streak | NBA.com

The Rockets are rolling. After an easy Rocket win against Dallas, NBA.com's Fran Blinebury brings up the overwhelming confidence the Rockets are feeling right now. Everyone is enjoying themselves as the wins keep coming. It's wonderful.

Mike D’Antoni has James Harden and the Houston Rockets humming to a familiar tune | Washington Post

Mike D'Antoni clearly has a system that he has stuck with through thick and thin, and right now it's working for his current team. With James Harden at his disposal, Mike D'Antoni is able to run the offense he has been dreaming of ever since his days with soon-to-be Hall of Famer Steve Nash. Check this column out to see the eye-opening parallelism!

Under the Influence of Moreyball | The Ringer

In Morey We Trust.

Daryl Morey has made an impact on this team and the league at large. "Moreyball" is in full effect. Three pointers and layups are the name of the game. It's a revolution. Check this article out to see just how impactful the Houston Rockets' GM has been.

ERIC GORDON: THE PERFECT SIXTH MAN | Red Nation Hoops

This article was too good to leave out and it fits right into the Eric Gordon appreciation theme. This article by our own Trent Arnold explains why Eric Gordon is the perfect sixth man, mentioning what he brings to the table every single time he steps out on the court. This one is worth a read for sure.

Rockets reach new deal with Donatas Motiejunas | Houston Chronicle

D-Mo is back... I think.

After "holding out" because he and his agent "know their rights", the Rockets and the 7-foot Lithuanian renegotiated a 4 yr/$35 million deal that is more incentive heavy than guaranteed. Currently, there seems to be some delay in his return. Check out the details in this article!
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The Emergence of Patrick Beverley

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"I'm a dog". Patrick Beverley's description of himself was almost as charming as it was fitting. He plays like a rabid dog chasing his own tail. That is said as a compliment - an entirely accurate, compliment.  He's hard to predict, and he's hard to calm down. One would think that starting a rabid dog chasing his own tail at shooting guard in the NBA would be problematic, but Patrick Beverley finds a way to make it work.

The Houston Rockets have dominated the NBA since Beverley's return from knee surgery. Say what you want about the scrappy, Chicago born guard, but his impact on this team is currently undeniable. Beverley is having a career year on both ends, and as a result, the Rockets look better than ever.

Since Beverley's return, and the Rockets have a net rating of +14.4 with Harden off the floor, going 10-2 in that span. Before that, Houston had what would be the worst net rating in the NBA with Harden on the bench. The rotations are mostly the same, the only thing that has changed is Patrick Beverley. He currently sports by far the best net rating on the team, at +15.5. To put that in perspective, the second highest is 9.3.

No one would have pegged a well below average starting point guard to make such a difference. He never made that big of an impact in previous years. What changed? He did. Beverley has regained his All-NBA defensive form that made him such a valued commodity in 2014 and on top of that, he's excelled in the offense, whether it be playing off of Harden, or running the show with with bench unit when Harden's out.

Beverley's biggest weakness has long been his passing, and this year, he inexplicably turned that weakness into his greatest strength. He was always able to get to the rim, but, because of his tunnel vision and inability to finish, there was nothing he could do once he got it to the paint. This year, with his new-found vision, he's found a purpose for his probing of defenses. Beverley almost never looks to shoot amongst the trees in the paint. Instead, he's reading the defense to find where the ball should go. Here he attacks the rim and does a phenomenal job finding the trailing Capela. He's averaging a career high in assists at 4.7.



"He does the little things" is typically a cliche, but in this case, few phrases apply better. Beverley has a knack for getting loose balls. He has this ability to find angles to get loose balls. The games are chaos when he's on the floor (with Beverley always being in the middle of it) and the team excels.

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/803326493116006400

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/807683056630976514

When Beverley gets loose balls, the team thrives.

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/807683056630976514

Beverley has always played hard, that's what got him to the league and helped him find the floor. What kept him on the floor was his work ethic and his consistent improvement, fixing all his flaws over time, never losing his dog-mentality, even after getting a big contract. Beverley stays ferocious no matter what, forever seeking the next opponent to infuriate. People often change, but Patrick Beverley doesn't. He remains a dog. He remains Patrick Beverley.
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Rockets 102, Thunder 99 - First. Team. All. Defense.

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The second round of the battle of the MVP candidates took place yet again from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as James Harden went up against former teammate Russell Westbrook in a tough game. The Thunder won the first matchup 105 – 103, but the Rockets would rebounded to win this one in an ugly, ugly affair.

The Rockets opened in an interesting fashion, getting Clint Capela involved as a scorer. He scored Houston’s first seven points off three made baskets in the paint (one of which was a tough hook shot over seven-foot-tall Steven Adams). Then, the Rockets went cold and the game would become an ugly slog for the rest of the first half. Houston only hit three of their first 11 shot attempts from the field, and went on to shoot just 33.3% for the first period (including only hitting one of seven from the three-point line).

Some early positives for the Rockets included the play of Patrick Beverley and Sam Dekker, two guys who will always bring energy to an ugly game. Beverley, arch nemesis of the Oklahoma City Thunder, brought the hustle early, snatching six rebounds (three of them on the offensive end), dishing out five assists, and forcing a steal. Also, in classic pesky Bev fashion, he drew a charge on Russell Westbrook on a routine inbounds play just 36 seconds into the game. That drew the ire of OKC fans in the building.

Sam Dekker continues to emerge as a rotation player in Mike D’Antoni’s offense, bringing a slashing skillset that has led to very athletic plays this season. Near the end of the first quarter, Dekker dropped the hammer in transition, posterizing Enes Kanter down to the hardwood.

The battle of the superstars would not get off to a good start, despite the first half numbers that had both guys on triple-double alert. James Harden posted eight points, six rebounds, and seven assists, but only shot 27% in the first half. In fact, Harden’s first field goal didn’t come until seven minutes into the second quarter, after a missed shot by Westbrook ignited a fastbreak opportunity.

Russell Westbrook, who went into Friday just one triple-double shy of tying Michael Jordan’s streak of most consecutive games with such a feat (seven games), recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists by halftime. He would record his seventh straight triple-double early in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets opened the third quarter on a 10-5 run, thanks to Capela hitting a couple of layups and Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson each hitting a three. Anderson, who has been in a shooting slump for several games now, hit three from beyond the arc in the period – helping the Rockets build a double-digit lead. Despite OKC cutting an eleven-point lead down to three, the Rockets finished the quarter up by nine (86-77).

Houston’s second unit opened the fourth quarter with incredible energy and defense. Montrezl Harrell (who was a great spark off the bench Friday night) played solid defense on the first two possessions of the quarter, and kept possessions alive on the boards. A defensive sequence saw Houston’s wings fly around the court to force OKC into a shot clock violation, building the Rockets’ lead to 13.

Following a controversial call that gave a ball that went off of Andre Roberson back to the Thunder, OKC went on a 10-1 run that cut Houston’s lead down to four. The Rockets went ice cold in the fourth, going scoreless from the field for over six minutes (they only scored 16 in the final period). The lead was eventually cut down to two and it looked like the Rockets were about to collapse.

The final three minutes saw a lot of action from the two MVP candidates as they traded baskets and free throws until there was 1:45 left in the game (the Rockets were up 98-97). Then, defense and hustle took over for both teams. Westbrook missed a layup, which led to Harden trying to draw a foul on a three-point attempt. There was no call, but Ryan Anderson hauled in the airball and converted a layup to give Houston a 100-97 lead. Westbrook was then fouled to get the score to 100-99.

On the next possession, Harden once again tried to draw a foul on a drive to the basket, but there was no call and OKC went on a fastbreak. Victor Oladipo missed the easy layup, but Nene couldn’t secure the rebound for the Rockets and OKC got the ball with 16.9 seconds left.

Patrick Beverley, who has a contentious history with Russell Westbrook (to put it mildly) played EXCELLENT isolation defense on Russ to force a bad airball. Ariza secured the rebound and got fouled as Houston’s bench hounded Beverley with cheers for making the stop. Ariza made both free throws, and OKC had one last chance to tie the game with five seconds left.

Anthony Morrow threw up an airball three-point attempt of his own and the rebound went to none other than Patrick Beverley. The Rockets escaped, despite a total collapse.

Despite both superstars putting up big numbers, neither guy played very well. Harden shot 26% from the field (18% from the three) and committed eight turnovers. Westbrook also committed eight turnovers and shot 32% from the field (missing all seven of his three-point attempts). This game came down to defense and winning the hustle plays.

The Rockets have now won five games in a row and ten of their last twelve. They’ll face this Thunder team again in Houston on January 5, 2017. Tomorrow, they head back to Houston to take on the floundering Dallas Mavericks.

Game Ball

This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Friday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.

In a game with two MVP candidates, this game – and this whole season – rode on the wave of Beverley’s hustle and the heart he brings to this team. The Rockets have won ten of their last twelve, and it should be no surprise that those games coincide with Pat’s return from injury.

His numbers aren’t flashy (although, twelve rebounds is nothing to scoff at), but he was essential to the Rockets winning this game. He shut down one of the best players in the sport and fought to secure the final rebound of the game – much in the same way he secured this game ball.
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Rockets 102, Raptors 115 - Houston serves turnovers for Thanksgiving

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Are turnovers a typical dish served at Thanksgiving dinner?

Well, the Rockets sure think they are. The Rockets served up a season-high 26 turnovers to the Toronto Raptors on their way to a 115-102 loss. James Harden alone had twelve (yikes) in 40 minutes of play.

The game got off to an ugly start for both teams. The Rockets came out with more lethargy than most of America will have after a third plate of turkey tomorrow (Happy Thanksgiving, by the way). James Harden really struggled to get anything going as Toronto did a great job of clogging the paint and forcing Harden into tough situations. He would have four of the team’s six turnovers in the quarter. Houston also failed to hit anything from beyond the arc, missing all eight of their attempts in the quarter. Fortunately, the Rockets held their own defensively and, after Harden hit a buzzer beating lay-up that ended a four-minute scoring drought, were only down 24-20 by the end of the period.

If the first quarter was bad, then the second was absolutely dreadful.

The bench unit gave the Rockets a small spark with 12 quick points, but they couldn’t really take advantage or cut into the lead. Harden and some of the other starters checked back in the game and the lethargy returned (the illustrious fourth plate of turkey, if you will). The Raptors built the lead to 11 and the game grinded to a halt. Midway through the quarter the Rockets committed several fouls in a row (while it seemed the refs missed some calls on Toronto) and Toyota Center grew restless. They erupted in applause when Toronto was finally called for a foul minutes later.

The Rockets added seven more turnovers in the second period on their way to a 15-point deficit (54-39). The only bright spots of the first half came from Clint Capela, who had eight points, five rebounds, and four blocked shots, and from Pat Beverley, who will always bring energy and has been a much better playmaker this season than he’s ever been.

The third quarter got off to an encouraging start, with Harden assisting on three made baskets from beyond the arc (two to Trevor Ariza and one to Corey Brewer). However, things quickly got out of hand when DeMar DeRozan got the hot hand. He scored 13 points in the first six minutes and finished with 20 in the period. The Raptors pushed their lead to 16 by the end of the third.

The Rockets were really going to need to dig deep in order to have any shot of making a comeback, and Head Coach Mike D’Antoni made the necessary changes to allow it to happen – namely, he kept James Harden in the game (Harden nearly played the entire second half). Normally, Harden would sit the first six minutes of the fourth quarter before being brought back in to close things out. However, Harden stayed in the game and looked more like the MVP-caliber talent he is. There was a renewed energy to not only Harden, but to the entire squad, evidenced by a 12-2 run that cut the deficit to 10. This run took advantage of DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas getting some rest, along with a great stretch of defense, much improved three-point shooting, and ball movement.

Another 10-2 run later in the period allowed Houston to cut the deficit to seven points (a near miracle given the way the Rockets looked for the majority of this game). During that run, the Rockets were battling on the glass and hitting threes. Ryan Anderson, who has been in a shooting slump the last few games, hit a couple of deep threes late in the game. Unfortunately, this short barrage from beyond the arc wasn’t enough to stop Houston from turning the ball over and handing Toronto more easy baskets to end things once and for all.

The Rockets kick off a five-game road trip (the second such trip of this young season) on Friday when they head to Sacramento to take on DeMarcus Cousins and the Kings.

Game Ball

This is a segment of the game recaps that will give the proverbial game ball to a player that proved to be most valuable to the Rockets on a given night. This award won’t necessarily go to the player that puts up the best numbers, but to the player that made the greatest impact on the team – tangible or intangible.

Wednesday’s game ball goes to Patrick Beverley.

For much of this game, it felt that no one was going to do enough to actually earn this game ball. James Harden was a turnover machine and Clint Capela’s production stagnated after halftime (there may still be issues with his conditioning), but Pat was absolutely the reason the Rockets gave themselves a chance to win the game. He finished with 10 points on 66.67% shooting, 10 rebounds (four offensive), and four assists, but his intangibles are what truly mattered in this game. His hustle is always something that will have a positive effect on the team, and it’s infectious – even when the rest of the team can’t muster up the energy to compete.

This is the kind of game that last season’s team would’ve just given up on. Not even Beverley’s heart and hustle could have changed things - they would have gotten run over. However, this is a brand new season and this is clearly a new team that might actually like playing basketball together. Beverley’s play has a lot to do with that, and it galvanized the Rockets comeback and will be a driving force for the Rockets success this season.

Man, it’s good to have Wolverine back.
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Weekly Intellect: The Transformation Begins

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Despite the occasional stumble, the Rockets are starting to look the part of a really good team. This week had it's disappointments (Houston went 2-2), but there have common themes in every game since Houston was demolished against Dwight Howard and the Hawks. Namely resilience and flashes of utter dominance.

There have been stretches where the Rockets have looked like a top 5 team in the league, and even their struggles feel like a product of missing good shots as opposed to not being able to create. Even when they've missed shots, the Rockets have bounced back, whether it be within a game, after a bad run, or in the very next game after a tough loss. That's a sign of strong leadership and Harden appears to have blossomed into the leader everyone hoped he'd be.

The offense is great (as everyone knew it would be), but there's legitimate reason to believe that the league's 5th best offense will get even better as the season progresses. Continuity, while often overstated, is a real thing that can plague teams early in the season. The Rockets have many new pieces and young players and the team has not yet learned how to play together. Once everyone gets a feel for each other and get their roles completely defined, it's entirely possible that the Rockets become the second best offense in the league (behind the Golden State Warriors).

While the offense has been what everyone expected, the defense has been a very pleasant surprise. After a shaky start, the Rockets have had a top 9 defense in their last 6 games. While learning a new system under new assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik, Houston looks to have ironed out their early-season mistakes and are playing extremely hard - something that wasn't prevalent with last year's Rockets.

While not exactly oozing with defensive potential, the often mocked squad has made their mark on that end by working extremely hard, communicating, fighting over screens, and crashing the defensive glass. Much to people's surprise, James Harden and Eric Gordon have been two of the team's better defenders thus far. Watch how hard Harden works to fight over screens, how well Gordon helps, and how they turn great defense into offense.

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/799712924549849092

The team has been focused.

After being the league's worst defensive rebounding team last year with Dwight Howard, giving extra possessions to the opposition was a glaring concern heading into the season. They've shut those concerns down quickly, with James Harden being one of the big reasons, grabbing the most rebounds per game on a team with the 11th best DREB% in the league. Harden was criticized heavily for his effort on the boards last year, and this year, he's given it his all.

In the offseason, Daryl Morey made it clear as day that if the Rockets were going to be good, Clint Capela would have to make a leap as a player. It appears that the 22 year old center is starting to do just that, and then some. Clint Capela is averaging 15.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes.

Capela and Harden have maintained their pick and roll chemistry that excited so many people last season and have been dominant when playing together. When they're on the floor together, the team has a net rating of +16.8 with over 211 total minutes logged.

They've the two best players on the team so far, leading the team in individual net rating. With improved strength and touch, Capela has become a well above average center. Watch him roll to the basket, come down with the ball, muscle his way into position, and finish with his off hand:

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/799708685861785600

After not starting the season because of knee surgery, Patrick Beverley made his season debut Thursday. The Rockets' second longest tenured player flashed brilliance at the end of last year, and he didn't miss a beat in his debut. He displayed his much improved secondary playmaking in the game against Portland Thursday night - something that will really help the Rockets both when Harden is on the floor and on the bench. The Rockets haven't had anyone other Harden that can get into the teeth of a defense and make something happen with their passing, and that has become one of Beverley's best skills.

https://twitter.com/rocketintellect/status/799718236786831361

On top of his good offense, he played incredible defense - looking like he did in 2014 when he flustered so many opposing point guards.

The Rockets have exceeded many people's expectations thus far. Both their resilience and flashes of dominance have impressed greatly. If the improvement continues, the Rockets just might be in for a 50 win season - and the franchise's first regular season MVP since Hakeem Olajuwon.
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Game Preview: Houston Rockets vs Portland Trailblazers

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After a heart-breaking loss to the Thunder, the Rockets head back home to take on the Portland Trailblazers, on the second night of a back to back. Going into Thursday's game the Rockets rank 9th in offensive rating, 18th in defensive rating, and 11th in net rating. The Rockets continue to be led in scoring and assists by James Harden (28.7 points and 12.5 assists per game), and in rebounding by Clint Capela, who is pulling in 8.7 rebounds a night.

The Trailblazers have started the season 7-5, but have not looked as good as a 7-5 team should. The Trailblazers are 23rd in SRS (Simple Rating System), which is a net rating adjusted for scheduled strength, and 24th in net rating, both marks are the worst for any team over .500. The Trailblazers also rank 14th in offensive rating and  28th in defensive rating. The Trailblazers are led in scoring and assists by Damian Lillard (29.8 points a game and 4.6 assists), and in rebounding by Al-Farouq Aminu (6.6 rebounds per game).

Starting Lineups

Patrick Beverley is set to return to the starting lineup after missing the first 11 games due to a minor knee surgery and is expected to start. Beverley returning will move Gordon back to his sixth-man role, where he can try to give the second unit offense some punch. The Rockets are likely to put  James Harden at point guard, Patrick Beverley at shooting guard, Trevor Ariza at small forward, Ryan Anderson at power forward, and Clint Capela at center on the floor to start the game against the Trailblazers.

The Trailblazers are trying to get better internally, returning mostly the same roster, losing no core players while bringing in Evan Turner, who plays as their sixth-man. The Trailblazers will likely start Damian Lillard at point guard, CJ McCollum at shooting guard, Maurice Harkless at small forward, Al-Farouq Aminu at power forward, and Mason Plumlee at center, with Evan Turner and Allan Crabbe both playing over 23 minutes a game.

Three Things to Watch

  • Pat is back! - With the return of Patrick Beverley, the Rockets finally have the starting lineup they've envisioned since the off-season. Watch to see if Beverley adds the defensive intensity he's known for to the Rockets and how D'Antoni's rotations change.

  • Go away Nene - Nene signed with the Rockets for below market value this off-season, so either they feel like they owe him the right to close game, or D'Antoni is out of his mind. Nene has struggled on the glass and defensively all season - two areas where Clint Capela shines - and as of late has had trouble holding onto passes. The supposed reasoning for this is that Nene is a better free throw shooter, but with Hack-A being banned from the last two minutes, it's hard to see how a low usage big like Capela (who is shooting 9/13 from the line the last four games) is that much of a hindrance. Watch to see if D'Antoni continues to bang his head against the wall, or if he finally allows Capela to close games.

  • Playoffs? - I know it's early, but the Rockets could end up battling the Trailblazers for seeding in the playoffs (maybe even the last spot), so this is an important game, especially after last night's dud. Watch to see how much intensity the Rockets come out with Thursday night, just a day after blowing a game to the Thunder.


Prediction and Tip-Off

This game could go either way. Almost all of the metrics have the Rockets as the better team, and they are playing at home. However, back-to-backs, especially when there was a road game the night before, are always tough. This game will be a toss up, but I'll say the Rocket's win, because I need it for my sanity.

Tip-off will be at 7:00 P.M. Central Time in the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Thursday, November 17th. It will be televised on ROOT sports with the radio broadcast on Sports Talk 790-AM.
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Report: Patrick Beverley To Make Season Debut Thursday

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Calvin Watkins of ESPN has reported that Rockets guard Patrick Beverley is set to make his season debut Thursday against the Blazers. While the rumors were that he would return Wednesday against the Thunder, it was ultimately decided to let him rest for one more day. Beverley has been sidelined for the past few weeks after recovering from knee surgery. He will be inserted into the starting lineup at the shooting guard position, joining his backcourt mate James Harden.

https://twitter.com/calvinwatkins/status/798931034603593729

Rockets fans can finally take a sigh of relief. Throughout his absence, it was evident that the team was missing Beverley’s presence on the court. While he was being a great motivator on the bench, the Rockets would much rather have him on the court. With Beverley’s return, the team gets back one of their best defenders. He is very pesky and is a headache for his opponents. The Rockets need that edge provided from him. Harden will probably not be guarding the point guard position on the defensive end now.

Not only will Beverley bring energy on the defensive end, but his offensive ability will also help the Rockets. We saw glimpses of improvement in his offensive game; he was penetrating more and looking to be more of a facilitator. His perimeter shooting will also help spread the floor, giving Harden another shooter to distribute to. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff decides to limit Beverley’s minutes during his first few games back.

This is big news for the Rockets and their fans. Beverley is one of the most vocal players on the team and again, provides an edge. With his return, expect to see guard Tyler Ennis not see the court as much and possibly fall out of the rotation entirely. Corey Brewer and Eric Gordon will now be coming off the bench for the rest of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Report: Patrick Beverley To Undergo Surgery

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After reports coming out a few days ago that Rockets guard Patrick Beverley might need surgery on his left knee, those reports can now be confirmed. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical recently reported that Beverley will underdo surgery and be sidelined for three weeks.

https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/789685301216239616

Once again, injuries have cost Beverley time on the court. Since he joined the Rockets, he has only had one season where he played more than 60 games, which was last season. Before that, the most games he had played in a season were 55. Head coach Mike D’Antoni recently said that he expects Beverley to miss at least the first 20 games of the season. With the season less than a week away, there couldn’t be a worse time for Beverley to hear these news.

Beverley is currently the starting shooting guard. Now, it will be interesting to see who D’Antoni decides to put in that spot. While Eric Gordon would seem to be the most reasonable answer, D’Antoni has said that he prefer Gordon to be the sixth man for the Rockets the entire season. Newly acquired Tyler Ennis could possibly get the call to take over the position for the first few weeks of the season.

With Beverley now out for a few weeks, the guard position is something that the Rockets need to take a look at. With roster cuts coming this weekend, expect to see the team possibly leave a roster spot open in case they look to add another guard. Some of the current free agents are Kirk Hinrich, Mario Chalmers, and Jarrett Jack, who was recently waived by the Atlanta Hawks. Do not be surprised if one of these players is in the mix to sign with the Rockets.

Beverley is one of the hardest working players on the Rockets. It is sad to see injuries have to keep him sidelined once again. Hopefully after this, all of his knee issues will be behind him.

Keep up with RedNationHoops for all your latest Houston Rockets' news.
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Report: Patrick Beverley May Need Knee Surgery

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Bad news for Rockets fans as ESPN's Calvin Watkins reports that Patrick Beverley may be on his way to knee surgery.

Beverley had missed the last four preseason games (including missing the trip to China altogether) with soreness in his left knee. It seems as though this soreness is a bigger deal than originally anticipated, and Beverley will undergo more evaluation before a decision is made to have surgery.

Entering his 5th season in the NBA, Beverley was set to be Houston's starting shooting guard to complement James Harden in his new role as point guard. Beverley's defensive prowess and spot-up shooting are a perfect fit for what the Rockets want to do this year, but it look like that will have to wait a while. Head Coach Mike D'Antoni has already said that he doesn't expect Beverley to be able to play in the season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.

It seems as though newcomer Eric Gordon would take Patrick's spot as the starting shooting guard until Beverley is issued a clean bill of health.

Check back to Red Nation Hoops for updates.
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